Becoming
by bunnytinkle
Summary: in progress. Vlad/Danny. Slow building. pompous pep. Danny Fenton decides that understanding your enemy just may be more important than fighting him.
1. Chapter 1

**Becoming**

- Chapter One -

It had always bothered Daniel Fenton how his arch nemesis, Vladmir Masters, was incredibly open about his feelings towards his mother. It hadn't much to do with the fact that it was his mother more so than the idea of picturing someone wanting to see her without her clothes on. Romantic intentions or not, it was just an odd form of sick torture that Danny felt he was subjected to whenever Vlad would mock him in battles about her, or what he wanted to do to her behind closed doors. It always felt wrong. Awkward. Unnecessary.

At first, he didn't mind too much. An occasional jibe here and there seemed innocent enough, and even Danny found himself that mocking Vlad's loneliness and unrequited feelings was actually funny enough to warrant. But as their fights grew as tedious as watching paint dry, Danny felt the smack talk about his parents and the sexual allurement of his mother to be nothing but nonsensical. And gross. Actually, it was embarrassingly gross.

So that was how Danny ended up finding himself at Vlad's manor doorstep. This needed to stop. While he understood that Vlad's feelings were as spoutingly charged as his ego, this was something that needed to be handled off the battle ground. Not as Phantom versus Plasmius, but as a teenager to an adult. Someone clearly needed to set a boundary, but whether or not Vlad would listen was another argument entirely.

Rolling his eyes and with a heavy sigh that this idea of his was as stupid as it appeared, Danny lightly knocked on the door and pushed the small button doorbell. He stood there for many awkward moments shifting his weight between his feet, mostly debating whether or not to just leave since this was obviously a waste of time, but was stopped when he heard small clicks and locks being lifted. The door opened ajar and from it peered an annoyed Vlad Masters, if not a little taken aback.

"Daniel?" he asked suspiciously.

"Yeah hi." Danny offered.

Vlad raised a brow, "What are you doing here? And at this hour? Shouldn't you be off playing hero or something equally noble?"

Danny floundered for a moment. "I was in the area and thought I would stop by." It was partly true, in a way.

That made Vlad look even more suspicious. "Well, as much as I appreciate you stopping by for obviously 'no particular reason at all', when I'm not corrupting your adolescence, I'm actually off working an honest job that requires me to wake early and face the reality of human necessities. So unless you're going to tell me why you're actually taking up the space of my stair landing, I must bid you goodnight."

Danny groaned and crossed his arms. Vlad was often as difficult in person as he was in ghost form. "Look, I just came to talk, okay?"

Vlad glared at him like nothing in the world could possibly have him believe that. "Go home, Daniel." The door shut in his face coldly. Its not like Danny expected Vlad to welcome him inside with open arms but the man was clearly avoiding what he had to say. Maybe he thought it was some kind of joke, but that hardly deterred him. With a simple intangible wave, Danny phased himself through the door and stepped inside. Vlad had just reached his winding staircase and stopped mid-step in his slippers.

"A closed door usually means to go away." Vlad told him as he adjusted his wine red robe.

"Hello, I'm a ghost boy, I make my own doors. Also I'm 14, I don't exactly have the respect for authority I should."

"Quite." Vlad replied mutely, coming back down the steps. "You have my attention, Daniel. If it's a talk you want then it is a talk you shall get. Follow me to the lounge."

Danny followed slowly behind, taking in the smells and sights of the manor. Due to the explosive nature of ghosts and science, it didn't concern him that there were parts where the manor clearly looked it had been rebuilt or repaired. His home had a lot of the same patchworks, to be fair. The halls hung paintings of various settings and themes while the windows draped in heavy red velvet. It looked lavishing but the intricate details were lost on him. Maybe these fancy decorations were important to adults of interest but to Danny it just looked gaudy.

The lounge looked exactly as Danny expected it to. There were shelves of books and a few lounging chairs with a flat screen television on the wall. A desk sat near the back but didn't look like it was used for much beyond decoration. When Vlad took a seat lazily, he nodded to the chair in front of him for Danny to sit. He obliged, still wondering if he was smelling the musk of the books or if it were the chairs themselves.

"Tea?" Vlad began.

"Coffee, thanks." Danny replied instinctively.

Vlad moved his sleeve out of the way and pressed a button on what looked to be a wristwatch. "Walter, please bring two cups, coffee, and tea to the lounge for me and my guest." He adjusted a little and smiled pointedly. "Now Daniel," he prompted.

"Oh, right." Danny said. He'd been swirling his thoughts for days now but still he wasn't prepared for the actual conversation. It took him a moment to build his muster. "I wanted to talk to you about my parents."

That caught Vlad's attention. He sat up straight. "What have they done?" he asked seriously.

Danny shook his head, "They haven't done anything, so don't get your paternal instincts in a knot. This isn't some cry for help or anything. I just wanted to know why you're so obsessed with them. I mean, obviously in particular you favour my mom, but lets be honest here, your obsession with them is borderline insane. Like, restraining order worthy."

Vlad's eyes formed into slits and his jaw set. Just as he took a breath to speak, the door was rapped on and in came presumably Walter with a tray. He sat the tray on the table between them, bowed, and showed himself out. As the door clicked shut, Danny felt the tension in the air begin to thicken.

Instantly Vlad began to make a cup of coffee for him and a cup of tea for himself. They both appeared painfully aware this was a distraction to help form Vlad's thoughts.

"You feel my actions against them are unusually vested."

That was a huge 'duh', "No kidding."

"And you honestly thought that seeing me in the dead of night for some heart to heart chat would convince me to do otherwise?"

A shrug. "I could have either told you this to your face as the kid I am, or I could have told you through a fist. Somehow I didn't feel arguing with punches and ghost rays was a civil way to address the issue."

Vlad glared. "Don't mock me, boy." He passed Danny his cup of coffee.

"Don't underestimate me, old man." Danny shot back and politely took a sip. It was good.

"So is this some kind of personal favour you are asking of me? A threat, perhaps?"

"No, no." Danny shook his head instantly. "You're not getting it. I'm not here to threaten you to lighten up on your sexual tension surrounding my mom, even if it _is_ grossly unsettling; I just want to know why you do it at all. It's not like its a secret and practically everyone but my dad knows about it. So, yeah, why? Why all this bitterness? Why bother? You're wealthy, you have like a bajillion homes stashed around the world, and on top of that you can do the incredible! Fighting with a 14-year-old halfling and harassing an old fling doesn't really seem, uh, ...smart?"

Vlad set his cup down. "It's not."

"Then why—"

"Daniel, take a look around." he announced that a bit loudly. It filled the room. "Do you see any photographs or telling items that may even _remotely_ look like I have friends or family or anyone to confide into?" Danny didn't respond so he continued. "Do you honestly wish to know why? I thought it obvious that my interests surround my personal gain, revealing the idiocy of your godforsaken twat of a father, and proving to your mother that she deserves better. I've even made it clear that I'm not bitter towards the idea of fathering her children! To take in you and Jasmine as my own despite Jack's awful genetic hilarity."

Danny frowned. "But I think its pretty clear my mom isn't as interested in that idea as you are."

"Oh, what would she know? She married him, its apparent her judgment is clouded."

"And you see, that's your problem. My mom isn't just some trophy, you know. She's a living, breathing, ghost-hunting, woman, (that also likes brightly coloured jumpsuits). Maybe she didn't marry you because you're a egotistical, objectifying douchebag!" He didn't know when they suddenly began leaning on the coffee table with clenched fists and angry glares, but suddenly they just were.

"_Don't you think I know that?!_" Vlad sneered.

"Then why won't you just accept the fact that she's not interested?!"

"Because Jack _stole_ her from me!"

"And you don't think her feelings on the matter led to that choice?!"

"_Damn_ her feelings, child! This isn't about some chess game of whom deserves to win the right of some _crown!_ This is about the only friend _I ever had_, that enjoyed me as I was completely, that supported my _ridiculous_ interests in the supernatural and the powers beyond; that stood by my side and _claimed himself as my best friend_ and had the _audacity_ to take the woman I so clearly desired while I sat _lonely_ and _afraid_ in a hospital ward as the ghostly changes came about me! _Damn_ her choice, _damn_ his lies, they were my only friends and they left me to _rot_."

Silence fell over them. Vlad heaved his breath, seeming to regret having said anything at all. He blinked several times and sat back in his chair, taking up his teacup with a shaky grasp. Danny found himself doing quite the same. It was a lot to comprehend.

Vlad swallowed. "You are so lucky, little badger. You don't understand how lucky you truly are. Being a halfling in this world of fear and ignorance is as hard as life gets. But you have you friends. You have your family. You have the love and support of those that care about you. But, Daniel, I had _no one_. And the people I thought that would understand, that would come for me and comfort me, they had abandoned me. So in love they became that the idea of including me in their lives was lost. The woman I openly admired and the man I thought was my best friend left me alone and frightened." Their eyes had yet to meet. Vlad stared down into his cup as if it had been the one that forced him to speak.

"Before you," he murmured, "there was no other ghost halfa. I stared out the windows of the ward watching the world pass me by. I waited for Jack and Maddie to come. Surely they would? But as the days grew into weeks, and weeks into months, I realised I wasn't important enough for them to ignore my quarantine just to insure my safety. And yes, Daniel, yes. I grew bitter. Because how else does one become when left so isolated?"

Danny looked down, twiddling his thumbs. "I-I didn't know..."

Vlad scoffed, "How could you, dear boy? So regardless of my feelings towards them, be it passion or madness, can you truly blame me for wanting them to hurt as I have? Can you honestly say that if your friends swept away from you and began wanting less and less to do with you, that you would not want the same?"

"...I don't know." Danny replied innocently.

"And so," Vlad began by downing the rest of his cup, "you now have your answer. Big villain Vlad Plasmius is just as human as the rest of society. Just as bitter, just as hurt, and just as lonely as one man can truly be." The cup was sat down harshly. "Now do be a good boy," he said as he stood straightening his robe, "and _go home_."

#

#

The following days felt like a blur. The immense weight of what Danny had learned sat with him for most of them. He just couldn't seem to push it from his mind just how ashamed Vlad had seemed when in the heat of their argument. How his anger had almost seemed justified. But at the same time, Danny couldn't bring himself to fully believe that. Sure, he could understand why Vlad would grow so bitter but it felt wrong that the millionaire was holding on to it for so long. If that had happened to him, would he feel the same?

"Danny."

"Earth to Danny."

"Danny!"

Danny snapped out of his thoughts instantly. "Yeah, what?" He asked his friends, Sam and Tucker.

"You spaced out again." Tucker said.

"You've been doing that a lot lately. Is something bothering you?" Sam asked.

Danny didn't know what to say. He hadn't exactly told his friends how he had gone to Vlad's manor and left feeling guilty about it. He wasn't sure they would understand. But this was Tucker and Sam! His best friends. They'd surely understand, right? Why did he feel the need to hide it at all?

"Its just that," he started, not really sure how to phrase it, "I _may_ have gone to see Vlad a few days ago and I may be feeling, I don't know, guilty?"

"Why? Did you smash up his house?" Tucker laughed.

"Tucker." Sam warned before turning to Danny, "Why would you go see him at all? And why would you feel guilty? The man's a villainous loser."

Danny nodded with a wave of his hands, "Yeah, see I get that and all, but honestly I just wanted to know why he had all this obsession about my parents. You guys know how he likes to taunt me about it and well, I got curious and kind of—bit off more than I could chew."

Tucker pat his backside, "I'm sure whatever he told you was just another scheme to get you on his side."

"Tucker's right." Sam added. "He could have told you anything to make himself seem like the victim. Plus, he's like 40, grudges are so high school."

Somehow that didn't feel right. "I don't know, guys. He seemed really genuine." More genuine than Danny had ever believed someone could be. Being half ghost was complicated and since he and Vlad were the only halflings in existence it was hard to swallow Sam and Tucker's regards on the matter. What would they know about it? But Danny stopped that thought in its tracks.

"Look, I know it sounds crazy, but I don't really think he was lying or trying to get me on his side or something. It was almost unlike him while being just like he is. And its not like he has friends to talk about his ghost powers to."

Sam rolled her eyes. "Well maybe he'd have more friends if he stopped acting like such a jerk or better yet, if he stopped meddling in your life."

"But that's the problem, Sam." Danny pleaded, "I mean, I'm half ghost too and its difficult talking about it even with you guys and I trust you with my life! I can't imagine how hard it must be confiding something like that to anyone, especially when you best friend ran off with the girl of your dreams."

Sam and Tucker exchanged worried looks. "You can't be serious."

"I'm not justifying his bitter rage or his egotistical hunger for power and control, I'm just saying that maybe all this has just been his way of dealing with losing his best friends and being left alone while his ghost powers turned his life upside down."

"Even if that is true, which I'm not saying it is," Sam pointed out, "what does it matter? It's _his_ problem. Its not like anyone is forcing him to be alone or not get a girlfriend. He's choosing to be that way."

That hurt Danny a little and he wasn't sure why. "Maybe he _is_ being forced to be this way. It's not easy being a ghost. You can't just walk up to people and say 'oh yeah by the way, I'm a ghost and can shoot lasers out of my ass'."

Sam scoffed, "And it's not like he has to say that either. That's stuff I think even _he_ would know to save for the third date or something."

Danny felt himself growing a bit more angry than he liked. It was stupid. "You just don't get it!" He told Sam pointedly. "I mean, yeah, I have you guys to back me up and all but Vlad? He had no one. No one. Left alone and the only half ghost in existence! You don't think his fears and coping methods are even a little bit reasonable?!"

"No, why would I?" Sam demanded back. "He's an adult, Danny! He's 40-something and he's still upset about something that happened 20-some-odd years ago! He's had plenty of time to sort himself out."

Danny seethed at her, "Yeah because we all _know_ shrinks are just _made_ to handle people turned into half ghosts!"

"What is with you?!" Sam shouted over the table, raising herself up on her hands. Danny mirrored her.

"What's with _you?!_ Not every problem can just be solved like a normal fancy TV special on the women's network. My parents are exactly the kind of people that would chop up and dissect people like us without a second thought!"

"I _knew_ it! This is about you!" Sam declared while Tucker bit his lip, trying not to go against or stand for either of his friends. He tried to work himself up to say something but found the angered fury between Sam and Danny to be far too intense. "This isn't some pity party for a misunderstood Vlad, you're just upset because you think being half ghost somehow warrants your problems more severe than us 'normal' folk." Danny went to speak but she stopped him, "Look, I don't know what the hell Vlad told you, but this is crazy. You think just because you both happen to be half ghosts that you both will understand the other's feelings? That somehow it makes sense now why he chose the path of a pathetic villain? He's not you, Danny, he's a sorry excuse of ectoplasmic flesh!"

How dare she. "No, you're right, he isn't me," Danny confirmed with bitterness on his tongue, "he didn't have anyone to confide into and he didn't have the support of family. I'm lucky and I get that. But you're wrong, Sam. As halflings we _do_ share a lot of feelings in common. And having the support of someone that understands is a big one, and I've just realised that I don't have that either."

Sam looked taken aback. Tucker blinked.

"Are you saying that we, _your friends_, haven't given you that support?"

"Yeah, Danny, that's a little messed up."

Messed up? Messed up? Deep down something broke inside Danny and he found himself wanting to be as far away from Sam and Tucker as possible. Before he could say anything more that would never be lived down, Danny turned ghost and began a hasty trip towards the sky. Behind him, he could hear Sam shouting, "Yeah you just run off to Vlad's, why don't you?! I'm sure you two will have _A LOT TO TALK ABOUT!_"

#

#

Sam was so wrong. So very wrong. That was all he could think about as he flew to an unknown destination. The wind felt so nice through his hair and made the problem seem so petty, but Danny could hardly let it go that easily. It wasn't that being half ghost made him better than everyone else, it was more attuned to the notion that he and Vlad were literally the only half ghosts in existence and there wasn't exactly a full science lab running diagnostics on how to help them cope with their betwixt humanity. Sure, Tucker and Sam had been as helpful as ever, but what did they know about the nightmares and the constant wonder if he was a living boy that could turn dead, or a dead boy that could turn alive? They knew nothing of that! Nothing! But the way Vlad had...

Vlad.

As much as Danny didn't want to admit it to himself, he was beginning to understand the frustration and the malevolence that encased his enemy. Even if Vlad had had any relatives or friends that came to understand he was half ghost, they were probably just like his friends now. Always wanting him to cheat on something for them or use his abilities to have the most popular student ask them out. While in hindsight it seemed exactly like the kind of plaything Danny and his friends would do, it was then he realised how much control those close people could have. You won't overshadow their parents so they don't get grounded? Well they can just leave. Threaten to walk away.

Danny stopped himself mid-air, feeling the gush of wind that poured over his ghostly flesh. Something deeply pitted burdened his breathing. His eyes closed tightly, then relaxed. He breathed and took off like lightening in a direction he knew well.

"If I close this door, do I have to worry about you coming in anyway?"

Vlad stood at his manor door, clearly dressed in business attire and not at all in the mood to play games with fickle teenagers. He looked down at Danny but he just bit his lip.

"Do you mind if I just come inside?"

Vlad didn't budge. "Shouldn't you be at school?"

"Shouldn't you be signing up for dating sites?"

"Daniel, I _will_ call your parents." a halfhearted threat but still Danny stood there just looking at the older man with teenage rebellion and child-like stubbornness. After a moment, Vlad conceded and stepped aside for the young one. Danny walked in a bit hastily while Vlad gave a sigh and closed the door behind them.

"So, to what do I owe the honour?" Vlad began. Danny was a bit distracted by seeing the mainway lit by all the sunlight that poured from the tall windows. It took a moment for him to glance away from them and refocus on himself.

"I wanted to watch you work." He said plainly.

That caused Vlad to stop. He blinked. "Pardon?"

"You heard me. You're old, not deaf. I want to watch you work. Today. If that's alright?" Eyes peered up into Vlad's and the innocence caught him mid breath.

Vlad was obviously confused, but not in a bad way. "Of course. Wishing to take a look at the man in action? Interested in business, are we?"

"Yeah sure." Danny replied. "I don't know." The dripping conscience of teenage uncertainty did not go unnoticed by Vlad. He smiled as politely as he could and began leading Danny up the stairs with a soft hand on his back.

Danny wasn't sure if Vlad had any idea why he was here, and to be fair, Danny hadn't the slightest idea why he had come either. But as Vlad led him through office after office and one lab to another, Danny took notice that the manor was almost laughably understaffed. He hadn't seen a single soul outside of the butler Walter that came and went about as quickly as a fart. He wasn't even sure if Vlad had hired anyone other than Walter, it was so silent. The offices themselves were noisy in their own way with prompters and phones ringing, computers blipping, and old ass pagers vibing, with the occasional phone conversation that was painfully full of ass-kissing, but other than those noises, it was eerily quiet. And Vlad too, even heavy at work on his computer sat in utter silence.

For a while, nothing but typing filled the void between them.

After a few more minutes, "So are you going to tell me why you're really here?" Vlad asked so suddenly that his voice almost felt as loud as a megaphone. Danny jolted in his seat beside Vlad and innocently began to twirl in it before stopping and squeezing on the handles.

"Something is troubling you." Vlad accused a moment later, noticing Danny's fingers squeeze. The typing stopped, the glasses fell and the older man turned in his chair to give Danny his full attention.

Danny wasn't sure how to react. So he didn't react at all. "Is this about that night?" he offered gently, his voice almost a whisper. "Do you have more questions for me?"

"I," Danny started but his tongue refused to move any more. But Vlad was patient. He waited. And it was many more silent beats before Danny worked himself up to speak again. "I noticed that you don't really have a lot of staff here." He said lamely.

"But of course," he supplied like it was evident, "can't chance the local workforce to come upon my little secret, can I?"

That made sense. "And you don't have any pictures or even some weird family photo as your desktop background."

Vlad stared at him pointedly. "Daniel, do I look like I have family to you?"

"So this includes friends too?"

"Do you honestly think a man like me has friends? Really, Daniel."

"You're not making this easy!" Danny spat automatically. Just then, his chair was forced into Vlad's direction and pulled closer. Vlad practically hovered over him with his height.

"People like me don't have friends. We don't have family and. We. Don't. Care." He punctuated each word as if it were a sentence of its own. Vlad released him and stood up as gracefully as a ruler. "Anyone that learns of this secret would certainly exploit me, and getting close to anyone just makes it easier for your enemies to know your weakness."

"Sounds lonely." Danny admitted.

"Ah yes, it's often lonely at the top. But what about you, Daniel?" He turned and peered at the boy. "Such trifle needs seem beyond a boy so full of heroism and loving support." Danny looked down at that. Vlad noticed. "Ah, so the reality of your condition has finally reached you, has it? Trouble in paradise?"

"Don't act like you're not as pathetic," Danny barked, "so what if I'm limited to my two friends. Who cares that I have a ghost hunting family that would probably jump at the chance to see what my insides are like? It doesn't matter, does it? The guilt, the exploitation, the secrecy! It's all pointless, isn't it?! Because no matter what I do or who I love, I'm going to end up just as alone as you are!"

Vlad only watched him. Danny stood and slumped back down. He was in pain. Emotional torturous pain.

"No one understands this—thing we are. We may as well be freaks of nature! Saving the world, destroying it, its all so stupid when you're still a target for the public to point a finger at and for your friends to completely misunderstand and have an argument that you run away from, and find yourself at the doorstep of the only other person you know that understands, and you see first hand why it _has_ to be this way."

"Daniel..." Vlad breathed almost like a reprimanding father.

"You said I'm lucky, Vlad." Danny heaved. "You said I'm lucky but am I?" His face began to hurt. His eyes stinging themselves. "My mom and dad left you before they could rip you apart and figure out why you were. You kept your distance and took your life into your own hands and just look at me! I'm at the mercy of a town that wants my head every other week, a school system that flunks me for being human, and friends that can only see me become this _thing_. How long until they walk away? Until they _can't_ support me anymore? Until they realise that what I need they can't provide?"

"And what it is that you need?" Vlad's voice was gentle like silk.

Danny fell short. He barely knew what to say. It hurt so much and his face kept stinging. "I think I need to be with my own kind." His lips forced out. "but I'm afraid."

"Afraid?"

"I'm afraid... of being alone."

#


	2. Chapter 2

**Becoming**

- Chapter Two -

"The proposition you make is a hasty one," Vlad told him the following morning. Danny was still tired despite having slept in a nice guest bed, but it hadn't mattered at all since nightmares and poignant thoughts had disturbed him into half sleep anyway.

With a gentle and kind hand, Vlad removed Danny's cellular flip phone and entered something into the device. He gave it back, having to nudge the boy a bit before he took it and asked what he had done.

"I only listed myself as a contact for you. As much as I'm enthralled by the idea of your company and while usually I would celebrate the welcoming of the dear ghost boy into my home, you must understand, Daniel. Leaving your home for mine, regardless of the situation, isn't going to make the feelings suddenly go away."

"I didn't—"

Vlad shushed him, "You are _implying_ much. Being with your own kind? Dear child, I _am_ your only kind. And only a few weeks ago we were at odds."

Danny looked down, frowning. His head felt heavy. Fingers lifted his chin fatherly into Vlad's direction.

"Teenage pubescence is full of change and growth—even more so with your—our—condition. Hasty decisions will only lead to regrets and fights. Leaving all you know behind after a minor hiccough with your friends seems a little harsh, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, I guess so." Danny admitted.

"So this is why I give you my leave with my contact. Think it through. If I'm to have you with me, you must be prepared for all that I am. And Daniel," he said in a warning tone, purposefully waiting for Danny to look him dead in the eyes, "I'm a villain."

He turned away again, trying not to look as confused as he felt. Danny knew Vlad was the villain. He was, wasn't he? Vlad was always the villain and always doing some innocuous deed for power or control, if not the direct result of some catastrophe. What was he thinking?

"I can see it in your face, little badger." Vlad spoke, giving Danny a small jolt. "Even now your morality pushes against the ideals of good and evil and where you stand. But have you ever thought why heroes are only in the realm of fiction? It is because heroism has a mighty price and the responsibility of a god. You're only 14." Vlad told him, rubbing his thumb over Danny's chin. "You shouldn't expect so much of yourself."

A breathe. "Why," Danny managed, "Why does everything you say just make sense?"

Vlad smiled at that. "Because I've already made all those mistakes. And despite your heroic nature, you're still just a human boy. A human boy that still needs looking after."

Danny gave a sigh. "This _is_ just some plot to get me on your side, to become your apprentice, isn't it?"

Vlad shrugged innocently and laughed. "What would it matter? I can't change what you decide to do with your gift, Daniel. I'm just as much at your mercy as you are at mine. So really, what does it matter who is using who for what? At the end of the day, what you do with what I can teach you or give you or support you with is up to you. And if I say, convince you to destroy Amity Park and that appears reasonable to you, is it really wrong of me to use it for my own agenda?"

"I... guess not." Danny replied uncertainly. "But I mean, I'm not likely to do that anyway." Right?

"And that is why you have nothing to fear, my child." Vlad told him resolutely. "You're absolutely right to think that I would love to use you for my own purposes and my own gain, just as much I'm right to think that you'll take everything I could teach you and turn it against me or reveal my sorriness to the world." He glared down at Danny seriously, making Danny suddenly feel as small as he was, "But do not think for a moment that I will fall victim to your false promises of love or admiration. You and Maddie have fooled me more than once on occasion and I am not about to allow you to do it again."

That actually really hurt. Was Danny really any different from Vlad in that sense? He had led him along a few times if only to get close and hurt him. That sounded exactly like something a villain would do. It hurt.

"Yeah, I get that. You're right."

"So," Vlad said as he turned sweetly again, "we've both much to gamble and that is why you must go and be with your loved ones. Don't think that I'm not utterly giddy by the idea of you wanting to be with me, but I'm a fool that has gotten hurt before and if you intend to be serious about this, I want it to be willing."

"No, I understand." Danny told him and he was being honest.

"Should you feel that you require me at any moment, you now have my contact. Now be off with you. I'm sure that your friends wish to apologise."

Danny nodded. Yeah, okay. He was right. He readied himself to turn ghost; it was time to go back home, but he paused suddenly. Vlad had already began his small step back inside but also paused when he felt Danny's eyes on him. Vlad raised a brow in question.

"Uh," Smooth, Danny. "Thanks. I think." And then he was gone.

#

#

Despite everything that had happened the day before, Casper High still went on being the same feeling it always was. The students loitered about and couples stole kisses by the lockers. The popular crew made their taunts and laughs, while the transitioning tech nerds did their best to allow this generation knowledge of what to expect from the future of gadgets.

As he walked through the halls lazily, and about as tired as usual, it actually surprised him that Sam and Tucker were waiting for him by his locker. He was sure that they intended to apologise, but at the same time he felt guilty for leaving them and feared the idea that more fights were to come. Danny didn't want that. He almost contemplated phasing invisible and running past them, but that idea was put on hold as Tucker noticed him and waved a bit shyly.

Danny approached them.

When Sam turned and presented him with her mouth that was covered by some kind of technical sellotape, he immediately stopped.

"Uh, what's with Sam?"

Sam rolled her eyes, crossing her arms tightly while Tucker gave a wink.

"She's on time out."

"From what? Eating?" He laughed. They moved aside. Now Danny could put his books away.

"Nah, she can still eat, I guess, or maybe she can't. I don't know." Sam glared at him angrily. "But that's not the point. Danny, we wanted to apologise for yesterday. We were being jerks and that was insensitive of us. We're your friends and if you feel we're not supporting you enough then we need to try harder."

Danny closed his locker. "You say 'we' but have yet to explain why Sam's first amendment has been revoked." Sam sighed and crossed her arms again. Clearly frustrated.

"You know we mean well." Tucker continued, "and although I agree with Sam on some points, it's just easier for her to stay quiet while I pick apart her worries into a metaphor you can understand. Her yelling isn't going to make it easy so I may have stolen some tape from your parents, and naturally it's 'Spook-o-tape', so I improvised and turned it into a muzzle. Don't worry, she likes it." Tucker then pat Sam's head to which she growled and tried to snap at him but got as far as a grunt from her nose. "No, bad Sam. No biscuit."

Danny ignored that. "Okay, so what kind of metaphor?"

Tucker instantly pepped up. "Okay so you know how in Mavis Masters III you get the option to choose between saving your mom and forgiving her or letting her die while you watch?"

"Yeah."

"You know how we let her die because we knew she was the vampire queen in disguise just hunting us for a more stable power source?"

Danny nodded. "Yeah. It was obvious that the queen only got stronger when around Jeremy so it was either choose to forgive a beast pretending to be his mom or destroy her before she could use Jeremy as an ultimate weapon."

"Exactly."

"And your point is?"

"The point is, what you did yesterday? That was choosing to save your mom regardless of the fact that you knew she was just using your feelings against you."

Danny laughed. "Dude, seriously?"

"I am serious!" Tucker rebounded, "That's all Sam was trying to say yesterday. Vlad's totally out to just use you. We knew that already and you're beginning to forgive him? Don't you think that may give him an unfair advantage?"

Well yeah. "Yeah, it does."

"So you understand why we are worried?" Tucker grabbed Sam for effect and shook her about. Sam hissed.

"Yes, I understand."

Tucker smiled and poked Sam in the chest. "Told you he just needed a better explanation. Foley's got the skills of a true therapist in the making—"

"—I just don't care."

Tucker paused. Sam Blinked. She then took Tucker by the collar and frustratingly pointed at Danny and then her mouth. "Come again?" He asked.

"I said that I understand that worry but I don't care." He slung up his bookbag and began to walk towards his class. Tucker and Sam followed after him.

"Okay Danny, you're going to have to explain that one. What do you mean that you 'don't care'?!"

"Its just as I said. I already knew that Vlad's trying to get me to work with him, I mean, he told me to my face that was his intention."

"Wait," Tucker fumbled, "so you mean to tell me that you actually _did_ run off to Vlad's yesterday?"

"That doesn't matter, Tucker." Danny defended albeit a bit more aggressively than he intended. "Vlad's not stupid. He isn't hiding anything and he _knows_ how this all looks. He does want me on his side but he also knows that forcing me isn't going to get me to do his bidding. So your worries are rather moot on that part. I'm not telling you guys that I have plans to run off into the sunset with him, I'm just saying that for a bad guy he isn't all that bad, and he knows stuff. Ghost stuff. _Halfa_ ghost stuff. You can't tell me that using our mutual feelings regarding our misplaced insecurities wouldn't be a little useful while I try to figure out what exactly I am."

They stopped at the doorway to his classroom. Tucker grabbed his shoulder to stop him from going any further.

"But don't you think that's playing a _little_ close to the fire?"

"What, you don't think I'm capable of keeping my morals with him? That somehow I'll be transformed into another villain because I'm not capable of knowing right from wrong?"

"Danny, it's not that," Sam was flailing and desperately trying to get the sellotape from her lips.

"Then, what is it?" He demanded.

"It's just," Tucker fumbled; Sam fell into a locker while struggling with the tape, "Danny, we're your friends and Vlad is like what would happen if Lex Luthor had a ghost fetish. He can't be trusted."

"I didn't say I was trusting him."

"You didn't say you _weren't_." His friend sighed deeply, looking to the floor as if his answers would be there. "We're just scared. You're suddenly just so different from before. It's like you're not the same Danny Fenton we know."

Danny furrowed his brows and shrugged him off, feeling vulnerable and misunderstood. "Well if you're so _scared_, then just leave me alone. Maybe 'new' Danny just needs to reconcile with his ghost half before turning to 'humans' for support." He walked off. The bell rang and now any students outside of their homerooms would be late. But that didn't seem to bother Tucker just then. Sam, still with the tape on her lips, put a hand on him while meeting his eyes longingly. Tucker placed his hand over hers.

"Something tells me that Danny may be right." He told her dejectedly. "Maybe being half ghost _is_ really messing with him. Maybe we aren't giving him the support he needs. But then... what does a half-ghost exactly need?"

#

#

Half way through class, Danny found it harder than usual to keep his attention focused. He was just so angry and confused and everything felt like a jumbled mess inside of him, Like a yarn ball thrown about his rib cage. Had he really fought with his friends again? Would that even be classified as a fight? And were they really scared of him? Like, scared-scared or just scared-worried? They didn't honestly think he'd turn against them or hurt them, did they? Or _did_ they? What if they weren't worried about him hanging around Vlad but actually worried that what he would learn from him would give him some kind of power trip? Were Tucker and Sam deliberately sabotaging him just so they could handle him better? Keep him controlled?

Okay, that sounded crazy. His friends would _never_ do that. They were just worried, as Tucker had said. But then why did it feel like they were... he wasn't sure... holding him back? As his friends he knew that if they were doing something similar he would be worried too and maybe a little afraid as well because random shots of disastrous power was frightening when out of control. And when he had lost his memory, how he became Danny Phantom again, and how reckless he was. Who was to say that he wasn't, in fact, a danger this way? What if what they were truly afraid of was him becoming unstable and accidentally destroying everything they held dear? Or worse... kill them?

"Mr Lancer, can I be excused?"

The teacher turned from writing on the board long enough to acknowledge Danny with a huff.

"This is important information that will be on your test next thursday, of course you can't leave."

Danny sighed and slumped, "What if I just leave? Can I just leave?"

Mr Lancer glared at him heavily, "Mr Fenton, should you just decide to ignore my authority and leave this classroom, I would be forced to assign you detention."

"Okay, I can work with that. Can we like, barter hours or days?"

"Mr Fenton!" He called but Danny was already packing his things and heading for the door. "Leave this classroom and you will find yourself in suspension!"

Danny held himself at the door, smiled and opened it causally, "I can live with that." The door slammed. The classroom a bit stunned.

"Wow," said Dash Baxter, "that was actually kind of cool of him."

Mr Lancer jumped on the jock with frustration, "Don't go getting any ideas from Mr Fenton's actions. That is the kind of display that will land you behind the cash register of a Nasty Burger." He bit, "Now, if we can get on with class?"

At this point, it almost seemed like every bit of nothing was pointless. His bag felt heavy on his back and with a ditch effort, Danny threw it against the hallway wall and made way for the foyer. He was still a few steps away when Danny gave up about the world seeing him and phased through the ceiling until he came upon the school roof. It was dirty with crumbling drywall in places it clearly shouldn't have been, and old ventilation fans churning away with one busted so badly that it only swayed against the wind.

He thought about just going home, but his parents were likely there and would be upset to find him skipping. So he thought to go to the Nasty Burger or dick around town for a while, but even that felt like a chore. He wasn't in the mood for C-list ghosts bothering him or the idea of chatting up the early day elderly at the grocery stores. So he took a seat near the roof lining and plopped down, automatically retrieving his mobile phone from his back pocket. He stared at it for some time. Then he flipped it open, not really sure what he was doing, and looked down the contact list.

He saw "Home phone", "Jazz", "Tucker", and "Sam", some contact lists for his favourite places of delivery, and then at the bottom he saw "Master". Not "Masters" as was Vlad's last name, just "Master". Danny smiled. Vlad was so damn egotistical sometimes it was just funny. But then he grew sad. What was he doing? Skipping class? Fighting with his friends? What was next? Drugs in an alley? Tattoos of girls' names he didn't know? Online trolling?

Danny fell backwards, outstretching his arms while his right hand held his mobile. The sky was bright, completely opposite to how he felt and it was almost sickening in a way. Everything just seemed to feel so off lately. So wrong. He was questioning his heroism and the plight Vlad faced to this day. He wondered if he had been on the wrong side all along or if refusing Vlad's help in the past had truly been a good choice. He felt so alone. Tucker, Sam, even Valerie could only do so much, but nothing—no one—could compare to what he believed he needed. Someone to tell him that this was all normal and what to expect. And the only person that could do that was—

The mobile was beginning to grow more and more alluring, so Danny took its grasp. With "Master" highlighted, he pressed the call button and waited. Oh ghost, what _was_ he doing?

"Vlad Masters." He heard Vlad greet casually.

"Vlad?"

A pause, then he heard some shifting, "Daniel? Are you okay? What is it?"

He was silent, unsure.

"Take you time. I won't go anywhere." Vlad assured him. That somehow helped.

"I cut class." Danny admitted. "I'm on the roof."

"Why in honey biscuits would you do that?"

"I don't know. Tucker and Sam, we, they. He compared me to Jeremy and they're afraid and I'm just." he sighed, "I'm just, nothing makes sense anymore. I'm alone and I don't want to be but I mean, I _have_ to, because I don't get a straight answer about what they are scared about and just, damn, what if its me? What if I'm doing more harm than good? I do more property damage than comic books! I can't fix this stuff."

"Do you mean Jeremy from Mavis Masters III?"

"Yeah—wait, how did you know that?"

"I'm a lonely man, Daniel. My arcade is the only diversion that keeps me sane apart from my extensive library and pokemonsters card collection."

What. "You collect pokemonsters cards?"

"And you masturbate to internet porn. We _all_ have hobbies."

Danny laughed, "Like, what, you go out of your way to get like exclusive holographic ones and everything? Do you even play it or just collect them?"

"Daniel..."

"Oh my gosh, you're a huge nerd!" He kept laughing but not in a demeaning way. It was honestly interesting to discover this part of his enemy. He could tell Vlad was growing annoyed though.

"Are you quite finished?"

"Do you like the cartoon too?"

Vlad muttered, "What I do on my saturday mornings is none of your business."

Danny kept laughing, "Oh my gosh, this is seriously the best thing I've ever heard. I can't even remember why I called you."

He heard a sigh, then, a gentle laugh. At first it confused Danny but as Vlad's laughter infected him, he couldn't bring himself to stop. For a moment, all they did was laugh. It was genuine, real, and Danny's ribs began to hurt from all the movement.

"Okay, okay, but seriously we need to stop, its beginning to hurt!"

Vlad tried to relax, his laughter growing into a eased breath, "Are you at the very least beginning to feel a little better?"

Danny felt his face grow hot. "You know, actually I am. I guess I've just been so tense that I forgot laughter was even a thing."

"Its good to let go every now and then."

"Speaking from experience?"

"Speaking from life." Danny felt himself smile. It was weird in way, sitting there and smiling with his enemy in his ear. It felt good. Right. And weird. But right. His face grew hotter.

It was then he, almost without his own volition, "I thought about what you had said this morning," Danny began to say, and he just knew this was going to come back to haunt him later but, "I'd like to talk with you more. In person. Can you, uh, would you like to come over for dinner? I know dad won't mind, and mom has been feeling better towards you lately. It could be, I don't know, fun?"

He was met with silence. Danny instantly panicked.

"I mean, you don't have to or anything, and wow, is this weird? I feel like its weird. Did I really just ask my arch nemesis to dinner? At my own house?"

"Daniel,"

"It is weird. Ghost, I am so sorry."

"Daniel," Vlad said again.

"Gah, what am I thinking inviting you to dinner? You can eat like anything any time you want and I'm offering you, what? Baked potatoes and overcooked pork chops?"

"_Daniel_," he said again quite loudly, pulling Danny back from his anxiety, "I would love to come over for dinner."

"You-you would?" Why did he sound like a school crush had been invited? "I mean, yeah, if you want. It's not like you don't crash in all the time anyway. What with you being obsessed with my mom and all. Funny story, she was talking about the last time you—"

"Daniel, I already said yes. There's no need to smooth it over."

What was wrong with him? "Uh, yeah, you're right."

"I'll call your parents at my lunch break and let them know I'm in the area and would like to stop by for dinner. I'll see you tonight."

"Oh, yeah, sure." Was his face still hot? It felt too hot. His chest began to loosen a little and it was only after he heard Vlad's voice again that he realised he was still on his mobile.

"I should probably hang up now." And finally he did. Snapping the phone shut and wondering why his feet felt so light. It was so weird. Was this what bonding felt like? He hadn't felt that kind of bonding in a long time, or like, ever. It was bizarre. And then it hit him. He was seeing Vlad again tonight and that meant he could open up about all the weird nonsense that had been happening. Maybe even get an explanation. The thought excited him and he laughed, turning around in a spin only to be brought to a grinding halt.

Not even a few feet away were his friends Sam and Tucker, the roof access door open and Sam's muzzle missing.

"Uh, how long have you guys been standing there?"

"Long enough." Sam answered.

"So you heard...?"

"—that you just invited your arch enemy to dinner at your place?" Tucker supplied, "Yeah."

"Oh, yeah, about that," Danny scratched at his neck and head, not really sure how to respond to that. How could he respond to that?

"No no," Sam interrupted, "don't say anything. Don't explain. I don't care. Just tell me that you're inviting me and Tucker too."

He blinked at that, "Why?"

"Why not?" Tucker asked.

They were worried. Scared. Danny bit his lip, "Ah, no, you're right. You're right. Yeah, you guys are totally invited. Yeah. Can't be in my house with Vlad around when my friends aren't there to back me up. Thanks, guys." He did mean that. They knew it, right? The smile they all gave was good enough for him, but still it felt off. Danny pushed it aside.

"So... is it black tie?" Sam elbowed Tucker in his gut, "Ow, what? It's a crime now to ask about dinner dresscodes?" Sam sighed.

#

#

The only ones that appeared to be excited about the dinner was Danny and his dad. His mother only looked annoyed by the idea of having to cook for three extra people but overall displayed contentment. Jazz helped her in the kitchen, professing that this normal activity of a dinner with friends to be a healthy way to spend the evening. His father spent time with Danny and his friends in the living room regaling stories of his youth with Vlad and the experiments that they had destroyed together. Danny wasn't listening too much, finding the stories to be more along the lines of ignorance and disregarding the well being of anyone around him. Tucker and Sam looked just as interested too, which was next to nothing.

"-And take a look at this!" Jack proclaimed, throwing the nozzle of some new ghost item into their faces. "The Fenton Ghost Subjugator! If any ghosts decide to form a well thought out and organised club, this baby will instantly bound them all together into a nice little bundle for easy catching and destroying."

"Fascinating." Danny replied, shooing the nozzle away from himself and his friends, "I'll alert all the midnight book clubs."

"Ah, V-man will simply love it! I bet he'll want to take it out for a spin. Maybe we can find some haunted ghost cans!"

The doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" Both Danny and his father said at once. They paused. Danny gave a smile. "I mean, I'll get it. It's cool, dad."

His friends watched him closely. He was sure if they could shoot lasers from their eyes that his back would be a giant hole by now, but he ignored it, straightening the collar of his shirt and opening the door.

Standing in the cool night air with the stars back-dropping, Vlad Masters peered down and smiled. It looked genuine, not forced or fake, but like he was actually happy to be standing there in that moment. Danny's chest tightened and he wasn't sure why.

"Aren't you going to invite me in?" Vlad asked.

Danny dumbly shook his head then nodded quickly to cover up his mistake. He stood aside, not quite sure why it was hard for him not to smile. Vlad accepted it and stepped in—immediately having the nozzle of the Fenton Subjugator thrown into his face.

"V-man, my man!" Jack cheered, "Isn't she a beauty? Been working on this device all month!" Vlad politely smiled and aimed the nozzle away from himself using just the tip of his pinky.

"Jack! So good to see you." Danny could tell it was only said halfhearted. It was then Danny noticed Vlad peering over his father and saw his friends. "Ah, and Daniel's little friends are here too, I see. How lovely."

"Full house." Danny replied lamely, looking to see if Vlad understood his uneasiness. Thankfully he appeared to and instead of saying anything more on his friends, Vlad instead made headway into the kitchen. Danny followed after him, his friends following after him, and his father hulking behind, the device still in his hands.

Jazz was setting the table and adding more chairs as his mother was beginning to serve out onto the plates. She looked up when she saw Vlad.

"Welcome, Vlad, it's nice to have you. Good timing as I'm serving out now. Everyone go on and take your seats."

"As beautiful as ever," Danny heard Vlad sigh as everyone began to file to the table. He wasn't sure, but that comment bothered him in an unusual way and not the normal 'stop talking about my mom she'll never love you' kind of way. This one felt... heavier? He wasn't sure.

Vlad took a seat near the window where Danny was quick to take up beside him, his friends following after. His mother took up the man's other side then followed by his father and sister. With the plates set out, Maddie gave everyone the go ahead and dinner began.

It was awkward at first. Jack and Vlad dug right in in their own polite ways while Danny wasn't sure he was that hungry anymore. His friends didn't seem to be very interested either but began nibbling anyway.

"So, Vlad," his mom started, "what brought you out to our little town?"

Vlad dabbed his mouth with a napkin before answering, "Wouldn't you know it, Maddie, I was actually requested here to help a friend." Danny felt his face heat. He looked away embarrassed only to meet eyes with Sam. She didn't look happy. The fork deep into her potato spoke volumes.

"Oh?" She replied, "How kind of you."

"You know how I adore helping others, especially those that need me." His hand was straying a bit close to hers. Danny cleared his throat quickly and obnoxiously loud. His mother moved her hand, Vlad jolted minutely.

"Sam, Tucker and I all passed our math exam." He said, spooning up some peas and grossly chewing them with his mouth open. "Wasn't easy, I tell ya!"

Sam forced herself to laugh and Tucker joined.

"Yeah, it was so hard, like, calculus, what even is that?"

"We didn't have a test on calcu—ow!" Sam had elbowed Tucker again. "Oh right, _that_ test. Yeah, Super hard. There were no survivors. Great potatoes, Mrs F." He was quick to add.

The conversation when on like that for another few minutes, all polite and normal. Jazz looked to be really enjoying herself, and his mom didn't look like she was noticing Vlad's attempts to compliment her or touch her, but it didn't really matter since Danny kept interrupting them anyway. Sam and Tucker had joined in the fun too, and before the conversation could go any further, almost all three of them were kicking his shins or stepping on his feet.

"V-man," Jack bellied with half a chicken breast on his fork, "how about after dinner we go give the Fenton Subjugator a little test run?"

"Jack, I told you not to bring that to the dinner table." His wife warned.

"Aw, but I worked so hard on it," he complained.

Vlad cleared them up, "I'll take a look at it if you would like me to." He said. That was enough to rile Jack up and smile profusely. He began eating hastily and once he had downed his tea, he grabbed Vlad by the wrist and began pulling him along excitedly. Vlad was obviously annoyed but Danny laughed anyway. He stood up to excuse himself and found himself immediately turning to his mom.

"Ah, don't get up!" He blurted, then did the same for his friends, "I'm just going to make sure, uh, dad doesn't kill him or something. You know how excitable he gets." Sam and Tucker weren't fooled. His mother agreed, however, and he was off after them. Hie friends began to finish their meal in haste.

Danny made a hurried run for the lab, catching hints of their conversation as he practically jumped down the stairs.

"That doesn't look stable," Vlad was telling his dad, but Jack waved his hand at him like absolutely nothing could go wrong.

"Of course it's stable! Built it myself!"

"That's what I'm afraid of."

"Just watch it in action!" Jack persisted and began setting up some ectoplasmic filters. "With this, rounding up ghosts will be easier than a cattle drive!" Danny barreled down the rest of the steps in time to watch his dad fire the Fenton Subjugator. A long ribbon of white material flew out and towards the filters, but naturally, something went wrong and the material dissipated instantly.

"That's odd," his father said, staring straight down into the nozzle. He then clicked it again and the white material was again forced out, bending and shaping like a dancer's ribbon. Vlad began to step back because it was clear that his ghost half was causing the disruption. The ribbon elongated and shot towards him, wrapping him up tightly before elongating itself again—and towards Danny.

In a flash of an instant, Danny found himself plastered to Vlad's front tied up in the odd ribbon. They stood flush against one another.

"Hello, Daniel." Vlad smiled warmly.

Danny couldn't get himself to say anything so what came out was more like garble. He was so close, so very close, that Danny could literally smell him.

"Danny!"

He looked up towards the stairs to see his friends and family making their way down. "Are you okay?" Sam asked.

"I'm, uh,"

"That's not how this was supposed to work!" his father exclaimed. "It's supposed to round up ghosts, not people!" He shook the device, "Eh, must be buggy. Oh well. Let's see about getting you two apart."

"And how long will that take?" Danny asked.

"Maybe a few hours?" Jack guessed. His mother jumped into the scene completely overtaken.

"Jack Fenton I told you not to discharge that device in the house!"

"I didn't! This is the lab!" Jack argued. His mother was not swayed by his argument, insisting that the lab was also a part of the house. Back and forth they went until his mother made it clear that bounding up their son and dinner guest was a terrible way to end the night. Vlad maneuvered them towards her awkwardly.

"Maddie, my dear, it's really no bother. Daniel and I aren't harmed and I'm sure that you and Jack can have us free in no time." Although his arms were held against his flanks by the material, Vlad still tried to reach out and touch his mom. Daniel wasn't sure why he had just casually pulled them back and blamed weak ankles. Vlad looked down at him crossly.

"I'm sorry about this, Vlad." His mom began, "Lets get you two upstairs and seated so Jack and I can work this out. It's not too tight is it?" Danny didn't answer her, too lost in the feeling of Vlad's fabric against him and _why was he thinking that?_

She moved them all upstairs and into the living room. Vlad and Danny tried to sit but it was awkward with their knees bumping. Vlad decided to fix the problem by sitting down and pulling Danny's weight into his lap so that he straddled him. It was more comfortable than anything else. Danny felt his face heat.

"I'm not sure I'm okay with a teenager straddling a grown man's hips." Sam complained.

"Oh, I know it's awkward," his mom began, "but it's the best we can do until we get them separated. You boys are welcome to find another way to get comfortable but I'm anticipating at least an hour—" something erupted downstairs, "—at least a _few_ hours until then." She sighed heavily, "Sam, Tucker, you can stay but you have to get approval from your parents first." And with that, she was off to the lab.

Once she was gone, "Aw man, my parents aren't going to let me stay past curfew," Tucker argued, "especially if I tell her it's because my best friend is tied to a grown man's lap!"

"Yeah and mine aren't going to like it either."

Vlad sneered, "You children talk of me as if I'm not even here."

Sam grew defensive, "Well, yeah, and you shouldn't be."

"I was invited."

"Well we were—" Sam stopped, remembering how they forced Danny to invite them, "we were invited too."

"It's cool, you guys." Danny got in, "I can handle this from here."

"And what _exactly_ do you plan on handling?"

"Um, if you guys haven't noticed, this is a ghost ribbon of some sort. We can't transform and we can't get out, and we certainly can't use our powers so the next few hours are mostly just going to be us boringly tied together. That is, until mom can find a way to get us out."

"But Danny, I," suddenly Tucker's PDA went off.

"Parents are telling me to get home." He told them. Another trilling sound came from Sam. She answered hers and threw it down exasperated.

"Mine too." she whined. She then stood and hovered over Danny while she sneered into Vlad. "I don't know what you're up to, but I'm on to you!"

"Relax, little filly, you have my word that I planned none of this."

"And Danny? You'll call when this is sorted out, right?" She pleaded.

Danny assured her, but really wasn't paying too much attention. Another explosion was heard from below. What a night. A nightmare maybe.

"Just call us if he does _anything_." And together Tucker and Sam left, begrudgingly and most certainly not satisfied with how the night had gone. They would be back, Danny knew, once their parents were convinced that they were in bed or something. But once they were gone, Danny felt like he could breathe again, or at least could breathe slightly better despite the tight material.

"Your friends are right not to trust me." Vlad said while looking down his nose at Danny. He looked up, then looked down, trying to focus on anything that wasn't Vlad's face.

"They're just scared." Danny told him honestly.

"Is that why you invited them?"

"Not really, I mean, sort of, but," he breathed, feeling the ribbon tighten momentarily, "they kind of found out I had invited you and insisted to be here."

"Is that what you wanted?"

"I guess so, I mean, they are my best friends."

"Then I suppose it's fine then."

That caught Danny's attention, "What? Of course it's fine!"

"You misunderstand." Vlad said, "I mean to say, if it alright with you, then it is alright with me." That made little sense but Danny rolled with it. He gave up and allowed himself to lean forward on Vlad's chest, resting his head under his chin.

"I guess I should have invited you to dinner somewhere other than my parents' house."

"A grown man dining with a teenager at Nasty Burger would have caused fewer problems, agreed."

"Geez, rub it in why don't you?"

Vlad coughed, "Given our current situation, perhaps it would be better to avoid such direct innuendos."

"Great, _and_ you're a pervert." Vlad laughed at him, making Danny bump up and down on his chest. He smiled. That had felt nice. He closed his eyes, listening to Vlad's beating heart just beneath him.

"Mind if I ask what it was that you wanted to talk to me about in person? This is a better time than never." Even his voice hummed nicely through his chest and into Danny. It was so weird.

His heart fell a bit, remembering the day and all the new feelings he couldn't understand. He wanted to talk about everything, just to see if it were normal, and even he thought to mention how it was still creepy that Vlad was trying to gain the affection of his mother but even that fell short in his thoughts. Even that had somehow changed. So he just breathed there, not sure what to do or say. And Vlad waited, resting his chin on Danny's head.

Silence.

"It gets easier, Daniel." Vlad finally said. "In time, ...it gets much easier."

#


	3. Chapter 3

**Becoming**

- Chapter Three -

Danny shifted, feeling comfortable and warm. He hadn't felt such a nice allurement of sleep in what felt like an eternity. Every time his mind tried to bring him back to consciousness, the heavy fog of sleep dragged him back down into the snug and deep throes of dreams. He if could have it his way, Danny would never wake again. But as it was, his inner body clock began to stir and soon Danny felt his eyes blink him back into reality.

Vlad was still asleep, snoozing soundly on the couch beneath him. A blanket was covering them both and Danny could feel one of Vlad's arms tightly holding his back while the other's hand rested calmly on his bottom. The ghost ribbon was gone but not without leaving bruises about his upper arms. When had they fallen asleep?

Danny contemplated getting up off the older man, but as he moved as gently as possible, Vlad's grip grew tighter and pulled him back down into his chest. Danny tried not to smile, but it was hard. The stale smell of last night's cologne and the airy morning breath was charming in its own way. It was nice waking up to Vlad's sleeping face. Like nothing in the world mattered. As if beneath that calm exterior wasn't the ghost Plasmius that so often turned his life upside down.

Would it be weird if he...? Before he could control himself, Danny felt himself shifting forward. The stubble from the night could be seen in fabulous detail among the delicate creases that lined his face. Vlad's jaw was always strong, but here, it seemed so inviting. Even the man's lips that looked dry didn't feel unwelcoming. Forward he moved, not sure what he planned to do or even if he had a destination. Slowly, slowly, Danny's breath hitched in anticipation. What was he doing?

"Oh good, you're awake."

Danny snapped out of whatever was controlling him and blinked himself into the direction of the hushed voice. Jazz stood by the couch in her morning wear and smiled sleepily. "Have a good sleep?" She asked quietly so not to disturb Vlad.

"Uh, yeah, actually." He whispered back and slowly phased himself from Vlad's grip and the blanket. Now he sat on the edge of the couch, feeling his face heat as Jazz took up the floor next to him on her knees. "But why didn't anyone wake us?" He asked her.

She smiled and giggled to herself. "Well, we _tried_, but you and Vlad were passed out like you'd never slept in your entire lives; and when we tried to pull you two apart, you held on to each other like squids. So mom just removed the ribbon and threw a blanket over you two."

Danny's face heated again. "It does feel like I haven't slept in ages. Last night was actually decent compared to most."

Jazz slid up closer to the couch, holding her knees delicately. "I have to admit, you two looked awfully cute despite the tension. When you told me you had invited him to dinner, honestly, I was shocked but now I can see why." Her eyes looked at Vlad still sleeping so peacefully. "You like him, don't you?"

Danny paused and felt himself choke. "Wh-what?"

"Come on, Danny, I'm not stupid." She chided, "I mean, I know he's supposed to be your big enemy and all, but I think trying to reconcile with him and actually have a good relationship is a healthy way to go about this."

"Maybe." Was all Danny replied. Jazz kept her smile, lifting a gentle hand to his knee and resting it there.

"And I know it's hard being a ghost. So I support this, whatever it is. Mom and dad are, you know, mom and dad, but I think with Vlad's help maybe you won't feel so alone."

Danny nodded. "You think so?"

"Hey, as long as he backs off mom and isn't disrupting your studies, I'm pretty much down for anything."

He smiled at her. "Thanks, Jazz." She stood up and gave a quick kiss to his cheek.

"I'll leave you two alone now." She whispered as she began to trot back off, but stopped and quickly added, "Your friends came by to check on you too, but I told them you were fine and sleeping so you may want to call them before it gets too late."

"I will. Thanks." and she was gone, a skip in her step that was far too perky for the early morning.

It was weird hearing that Jazz supported this new weird relationship with Vlad. It was the first good news he'd heard since forcing his way into Vlad's home. His friends certainly didn't like it, but it was nice that someone did. Danny looked over to Vlad's sleeping form and gently smiled. What was with him? And why did Vlad look so normal? So human? He shook his head and decided to go brush his teeth as that felt like an easier task than deliberating his emotions.

When Danny finally got out of the bathroom clean and fresh after taking a shower he hadn't originally intended, his parents were up and about starting their mornings. Firstly, he went to the living room to see if Vlad was still asleep and was saddened that the only thing present was the blanket they had slept in folded up nicely in the corner. He went into the kitchen.

"Mom, where's Vlad?" As he expected, his mother was cooking breakfast and turned sweetly towards him.

"Oh, good morning, Danny! He's using the shower in the master bedroom right now. He should be along in a few minutes." She flipped the food in her pan and smiled at him, "Pancakes?"

Danny sat down eagerly, "Yes, please." But just as his mother went to set pancakes on a plate for him, a loud shout was heard from down the hallway.

"_BUTTER BISCUITS!_"

He and his mother switched glances momentarily before both began down the hall towards his parents' room. Maddie was quick to open the door and Danny could see Vlad naked on the floor, dripping wet, while a glowing and odd towel rested calmly in Jack's hands.

"Come on, Vladdie, this Fenton towel not only dries you of water, but also dries off any ghostly evil residue that may be trying to corrupt your mortal soul! Although, it's not supposed to hurt humans..."

"Jack you dolt, can I please just have a normal tow—" He then noticed Maddie and Danny at the door. Quickly, he stood and took the nearby lamp to hide his shame. His face was redder than Danny had ever seen it.

"Maddie! Daniel! So good of you to join us!" He bit out awkwardly, clearly trying to keep himself composed. "You'll have to forgive me as Jack has yet to give me a proper towel."

His mom fell into her palm with a sigh to which she started over to Vlad reassuringly. "Jack, put that away." She told her husband. She then reached for the lamp and began over her shoulder, "Danny, could you please get Vlad a—"

Suddenly Danny was there, moving his mother away from Vlad and her hands from the obscuring lamp. Vlad looked annoyed again but otherwise fine. "There's no need!" Danny quickly added, seeing how it was weird that he had come between his mother and his enemy like a wisp of smoke. "I mean to say, we're all guys here! I'll take Mr Masters to get a towel and there's no need for any fuss or moms touching men that aren't their husbands. I got it!" While he spoke this, Danny was already crowding Vlad back into the master bathroom. He shut the door behind them but it reopened when it caught on the lamp's cord. Quickly, Danny reached out and unplugged it before pulling it inside with them and shutting the door again.

"You are such a cockblock." Vlad told him once they were alone.

"Seriously, can you stop hitting on my mom just for _one_ day?"

Vlad pouted theatrically, "I had no intention of such events, dear Daniel. It was your idiot father that decided to throw some ecto-ghost-towel at me. I was only trying to dry off."

Danny reached into one of the drawers and pulled out a towel. He covered his eyes with his hand and held it out for Vlad. He tried not to look. He absolutely did not want to look. He heard the lamp click down on the countertop and Danny swore that he would not look.

Maybe he tried to look a little.

"Relax, Daniel, I'm properly covered now." Vlad told him and Danny dropped his hand away. Vlad stood with his waist wrapped in a towel while he peered at himself in the wall mirror. He appeared to be looking at the same stubble Danny had been staring at earlier. Their eyes met in the mirror. Vlad smiled.

"You don't have to stay, you know."

"Well, neither do you." Danny replied defensively, "You could have left hours ago without any of this mess."

"I'm 40 years old, child, I don't exactly wake up as bright-eyed and as cognitive as a high schooler. Shower and a coffee must be somewhere in that mix before I'm awake enough to do anything relatively functional."

"You seemed 'functional' enough to try and get my mom to touch your dick."

Vlad laughed and rummaged through one of the sink drawers for a razor, "That, my boy, only needs the right motivation to become functional."

Danny felt his face grow hot, "Okay, gross. Didn't need to know that."

"Says the boy that has yet to leave the bathroom." Danny didn't know what to say to that. His lips fumbled for a moment before Danny settled to just scoff. Vlad made quick work of his stubble and put his dad's razor away, under his breath thanking the Ghost Zone for it being a normal razor and not some ghost weapon.

He then continued to face the mirror and dropped his towel into a pool around his ankles. Danny immediately froze up and threw his hands over his eyes.

"Some warning, please?!"

Vlad laughed, ignoring him as he began to redress himself in the clothes he wore the night before. Once he was finished, "You can open your eyes now." Danny's heart was beating and he felt so strange. His stomach ached and he wasn't sure if it was because he was hungry or something else entirely. He chanced opening his eyes and saw that Vlad had began to re-hook his cufflinks. Why did he feel like he missed looking at Vlad's naked back?

His thoughts were interrupted when Vlad suddenly spoke, "So, are mornings often this eventful at your home?" Uh...

Images of all the times something ghost-related had destroyed his mornings came to him. Ecto-soap, ghost deflector shower curtains, filtered breakfast cereals... Danny looked away, mildly embarrassed, "Sometimes." He told him.

Vlad peered at him heavily.

"Okay, maybe a lot of times." He admitted.

"Do they often hurt you in some manner?" That was an understatement.

Danny scratched his neck, "I," suddenly his throat felt caught. "Why?" He asked instead.

Vlad looked at him like the reason was obvious. "Your parents haven't the slightest idea that you are part ghost, is why. And if that towel and that awful subjugator last night is anything to judge by, I'm going to assume that they hurt you quite often, albeit unintentionally."

That was true. Very true. But he didn't want to admit it, however Vlad didn't need a confirmation. "Puberty, ghost powers, urges, battles and lost nights, sleeplessness and even in your own home you are subjected to phantasm abuse? I'm beginning to wonder what is holding you all together!"

Danny sighed, "No kidding." Suddenly a hand rested on his shoulder. He looked up. Vlad's eyes looked so calm. Softly, fingers grazed his cheek. It felt so good.

"Perhaps I was wrong. Maybe an environmental change would be for the best. It's no good being around your loved ones if they are hurting you." Danny's heart began to float and his chest tightened. Was his face growing hot again? "Daniel," Vlad breathed to him, "are they hurting you?" It rang out like they were the only ones in the world. Echoing. _Are they hurting you?_

There was no explanation for what Danny did next. Like a string snapped. He only began to heave his chest and hold Vlad's hand against his cheek. Every memory of something hurting him in his home came back like a flood and hit him all at once. He hadn't realised until that moment just how far out of his way he went to avoid ghost gadgets and becoming plastered to his dad's wall. How last night was just a sample of what usually happened. How Tucker and Sam had to suffer through his bitching and get him out of his parents' latest ghost hunting device. How Jazz had to start warning him if something ghostly toxic was about to explode downstairs. And how _scared_ he was of it. Anxiety struck him like a lead weight. He couldn't speak, only shake and gulp breaths down as if they would be his last. His eyes stung but he fought back. Vlad quickly took his head into his palms and held him steady, speaking to him with worry on his lips.

"Daniel breathe!" He called. "Breathe! Deep breaths. Relax, you're tensing and panicking. Breathe. Yes, that's it. Breathe with me. Yes. Just like that. It's okay, Daniel. I'm here. I've got you." Vlad pulled him close and wrapped him tightly in his arms to help quell the shaking. Danny felt like his tongue was glued to the roof of his mouth. His body shook against his will and, ghost, was he crying? But Vlad held him. He held tight and kept whispering sweet nothings into his hair, stroking his backside and working him down slowly. After a few minutes, Danny felt relaxed enough to speak again.

"What in the _world_ was that?" He begged.

Vlad kept him close, speaking into his hair, "That, dear Daniel, was a panic attack."

"A panic what?"

"Attack. Clearly triggered by intense feelings you've yet to cope with. It means you're afraid and that fear came out in a hostile way."

Danny found himself holding Vlad back, scared, "Is it because I'm half ghost?!" He pleaded shamelessly, suddenly very frightened of the idea of it happening again.

Vlad stroked his hair, "No, not at all. No. This happened because you are _human_ and the weight of the world is upon your shoulders." Danny didn't know what to say. He just held Vlad tighter and began to see why Vlad was indispensable to him. How much he needed this. How he could think of no one that would do this for him. How no one would understand.

"Vlad," he sniffled into the man's chest, "I want to live with you. I want to be with you. My own kind."

"Shush, Daniel, I know, but it isn't so easy."

"I'm changing." He told him, "I'm changing so much and no one gets it!"

"I know," Vlad hushed.

"Please don't leave me here." Danny begged. "I don't want to hurt them. I don't want them to hurt me. What do I do?"

Vlad rocked them back and forth, shushing Danny further and relaxing his breathing. "I'll speak with your parents. I do believe a better environment is in order."

#

#

"You can _not_ be serious." Tucker told Danny as he and Sam walked to school.

"You invite Vlad to dinner, you give him a lap dance, your sister tells us you're sleeping on the couch with him and _now_ you're telling us that you're planning to move to Wisconsin with him?!" Sam was getting hysterical and Danny could understand that. It was rather sudden.

"It sounds wrong when you say it like that." Danny retorted.

"That's because it _is_ wrong!" Sam vented, "The Danny I know hates Vlad and wants to smash his skull into the curb every time he sees him! But you? You can't possibly expect Tucker and I to believe that he hasn't got something on you or controlling you to suddenly start liking him enough to move in with him!"

Danny shifted uneasily. "It's more complicated than that."

Sam took him by the shoulders seriously, "Is Vlad blackmailing you? Does he have like a video of you going ghost or, I don't know, threatening to rape your sister?"

Danny waved her off him, "No, it's not like that."

"Then what it is?" Sam demanded from him, "Why are you suddenly all about Vlad? What is he doing to you that makes you think this will even work?"

Okay, that was just about enough. What did she know?! He snapped. "Just _stop it, Sam!_" Danny wailed, so hard that a ghost wail erupted from his throat, knocking Sam and Tucker back a little. "I've had enough of this 'the Danny I know' bullshit and all this cynicism! Can't you both see that I'm at my limit?! I've had to save the town more times than I can count, every stupid ghost hunter wants my head on their wall, my family makes me literally fear the floor I walk on, I've had to face my own desolate future, alternate realities, OH, AND I'M STILL A DAMN GHOST!" His wail came out again against his will but Danny didn't notice, still fired up, "I can't be a normal boy and I can't be a normal ghost! I'm stuck in between worlds and feel like I'll never fit in anywhere! And the only person that gets half the shit I'm saying is Vlad! Okay?! It's Vlad!

"I don't care that he's a damn villain anymore! His arrogance and position actually makes _sense_ at this point! Do you know how hard this is?! I'm fighting my own damn morality in the face of losing everyone just because you think I should snub away his help! Well maybe, just maybe, I _want_ a little help!" Danny's chest barreled in huffs. Tucker was helping Sam up from the ground. She looked like something had knocked the wind out of her. It was then Danny noticed that he had struck his friends unintentionally. Sam and Tucker looked at him in awe. Danny blinked and looked away. He hadn't meant to do that.

"Guys, I didn't mean to do that. _I'm so sorry_." He tried to get to Sam's side but she swiped him away with her hand like a claw.

"Don't touch me." She spat.

Danny stood back. "Sam,"

"Look, we get it," Tucker told him while moving Sam behind his back to protect her any further, "you've said it loud and clear, Danny, (among other things). You're obviously dealing with something that you don't want our help with but you do want Vlad's. So go to him. Move to Wisconsin. We don't care."

Danny fumbled, "Tucker, I,"

"Shut it, Fenton." Hearing his last name like acid made Danny start. "You've done enough." Tucker helped Sam walk towards the double doors of Casper High. Danny ran after them, panicking, but Tucker spun around on him. "And aren't you supposed to be suspended?" Danny tried to stop him, to explain himself, but he was stopped by the rather sturdy, although still out of shape, Mr Lancer.

"He's right, Mr Fenton." Lancer began coldly as he looked down at Danny, "You're not allowed on school premises until next week. So go home." And with that, Mr Lancer shut the double doors in his face.

"Tucker!" Danny called at the door. "Sam! Guys! I'm sorry!" The bell rang high above him. The campus was void of the students and faculty. He stood there alone. "I'm sorry." He said again. "This isn't what I wanted to happen." It wasn't what he wanted at all.

The walk home was lonely. Danny was so upset with himself for hurting his friends. His best friends. It had just been so frustrating. Sure, he could get around that his emotions had been a little unstable lately, and yeah, maybe his thirst for Vlad's attention was getting a bit out of hand, but it didn't take away the fact that Vlad seemed to 'get' him. The attraction for his mom? Just a character quirk. His hatred for his dad? Okay, that one was a little easier to understand now. But all the other emotions and the tightness inside him? He still had much to figure out and Sam and Tucker didn't seem like they were in the mood for understanding, at least, not while Vlad was involved.

Danny kicked himself. Why did he think they would accept even the concept of him going to stay in Wisconsin? Of course they would fight against it. But how else could he explain why? Would they understand if he explained? The panic attack? The weird emotions and stirs he felt around Vlad? Would any of that make sense?

Danny unlocked the door to his home, dejected and feeling vulnerable, hoping to just go and lie down for the next forever, but he was stopped when he saw his mother, father, and Vlad sitting at the kitchen table just inside.

"Danny?" His mother asked, "What are you doing home?"

"Uh," was all he managed to reply.

"Daniel was suspended for the next week for leaving class without permission." Vlad supplied to them.

"What?!" His mother glared at him. Oh boy. "Why weren't we told?"

"You were. I heard Jack playing the message just last night from the answering machine."

"Jack?"

His father tried to look like he knew all along. "Oh yes, Maddie, Danny has been suspended for the next week because he apparently left his class without doing whatever hall passes and that thing."

"This is serious!" His mother proclaimed. "Danny you get in here this instant!" What could he do? Danny walked over and joined them at the table. His mother glared at him while his father kept tinkering with some small device on his wrist. Maddie struck his hand to get him to pay attention. She then turned to her son.

"Danny, what is going on? You're suspended? Why?" Danny didn't respond, too afraid to tell her the truth of all that had been happening to him. It was weird. And awkward. But mostly weird.

Vlad noticed. "Would you like me to answer for you, little badger?" He asked kindly. Danny looked up, almost worried, but nodded. What could he possibly say anyway? It's not like he could make it any worse.

"Maddie, Jack; there comes a time in a young boy's life when his body begins to change. Body hair, growth spurts, wet dreams and the like." Oh ghost, he _was_ making it worse. Danny dropped his head into his hands. "And rebellion. We've all done it and for the same reason, I'd imagine. These changes cause us to feel like it's us against the world, almost like we have to save it all the time and leave not even an second of time for ourselves."

"Okay." Jack answered. "So if I'm understanding correctly, you're telling me that Danny has some kind of cruel puberty ghost following him around and making his natural growth and hormones crazy."

"Sure, we'll go with that." Vlad conceded. "The fact is, young Daniel is on a slippery slope between being a child and being a man. With you two constantly at work on your ghost hunts and Jasmine preparing herself for college, it seems only fair that Daniel feels neglected or misplaced. He's neither ghost hunter, nor a scholarship winning miracle. He's simply what he is."

His mother looked at him worried. Her eyes sad. "Is this true? Do you feel out of place here at home? Are you acting out at school in response?" Danny wanted to say something, but again his tongue felt thick in his mouth. It was like the words couldn't bring themselves to hurt his mother's heart. Vlad understood this and picked up the slack.

"As you both know, I'm incredibly generous, and in Wisconsin I could give Daniel the space he needs from the stress of ghost hunting and teenage pubescence. Some time to sort himself out and perhaps work on his behaviour before he finds himself suspended from school entirely. Perhaps even get him interested enough in university and the super natural sciences you both so do love."

"You mean he'll be learning how to make his own ghost catching equipment?" Jack eagerly asked with eyes as wide as a child's.

"In theory." Vlad said.

"I don't know," his mother sighed, "I mean, it's all just so sudden. Danny hasn't been a problem in the past."

"Are you certain?" Vlad asked her. "You've not seen _any_ kind of rebellion or acting behaviour that may be telling of this issue?"

Maddie thought hard on that, "Well..." she seemed to be thinking a lot. Things must have been passing through her mind dejectedly because as she sat there, her face grew more and more worried. Finally she looked at Danny and huffed sadly. "Maybe we haven't been as involved as we should."

"And that is why I propose that young Daniel come and stay with me in Wisconsin for a while. A huge manor to lose himself in, wide open spaces, a new school, fresh start, and all the attention he could possibly need to get himself back on track. What say you?"

Maddie turned to her husband, "Do you really think this is a good idea? I mean Danny has never been on his own before and I'm worried he'll feel we're abandoning him."

"Nonsense!" Jack told her with heart. "If V-man thinks our son will have a better education and more control over himself in Wisconsin, I say we let him do it. Tuition isn't cheap and we already decided that we were only going to spend our retirement money on _one_ Fenton offspring." He looked at Danny and weakly smiled, "Sorry son, Jazz won that highly intricate and infallible card toss."

"But Jack, we can't just ask Vlad to use his money on our son! And he'll be so far away."

"Rest assured, my darling," Vlad interjected calmly, "I have no problem at all investing in the education of the son of my dearest friends. It's the least I can do for your hospitality and kindness. And at any time you wish to visit, my private jet is all yours."

Jack jumped on that, "He said he pay for it, I'm sold."

"Jack, but," she looked at Danny, "Danny, is this what you want? Do you want to go to Wisconsin and stay with Vlad? What about your little friends and your family?"

Danny looked down, unsure of himself but at the same time coolly confident that he needed this. It's what he wanted. It's what he needed. Right?

"Mom, dad," he began at the table, "I'd really like to stay with Mr Masters." His father looked excited but his mother looked sad.

"Well, sweetie, if it's what you want, then who are we to stop you? Okay, Vlad. Danny can go with you. He can pack this weekend and we can see him off Monday if you have time to stick around?"

"Dear Maddie, I can make time." Vlad smiled seductively.

Jack jumped into his face, "Great! You can stay in Danny's room! I'll go get the inflatable Fenton mattress!" Off he dashed. His mom, however, stayed behind less than excited.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" She asked her son again. And Danny nodded.

"Yeah mom." He told her. "I really think I want this." Need this. And she smiled at him in her very kind and motherly way.

"Okay." She agreed and reached out her hand to touch his.

#


	4. Chapter 4

**Becoming**

- Chapter Four -

It was actually rather lucky that the Fenton mattress was, in fact, a regular inflatable mattress and not some insane experiment. Danny's father had proclaimed that while it couldn't prevent ghosts, it was a mattress with the name Fenton on it and that somehow made it better than any other store brand inflatable mattress. But Vlad didn't seem to care too much as he and Jack took turns pumping it into full size. Danny sat on his bed watching them. It was unique how their relationship worked at all, and the small little ways Vlad became annoyed with the tiniest facet of his father had him chuckle a few times quietly. His mother came in with a spare pillow, blanket and some fresh sheets. When the mattress was full, she dressed it cozily and shoved it towards the window beside his bed.

"Is this alright?" She asked Vlad worriedly.

"It will do for the weekend." Vlad assured her with a grin.

"Would you like me to launder your clothes?"

Vlad held up hand, "That will not be necessary as I already ordered a dry cleaner to have clothes delivered for me. You need not worry." His smile was a bit too cheery for Danny's liking.

"Okay, he's set. You guys can all leave now." Danny said rather loud. Jack grabbed him in a headlock and mussed his hair.

"Aw, Danny, I know sharing your personal space can feel intrusive, but Vladdie has always been a quiet flatmate! You'll hardly notice he's here at all! Except for when he rolls. Too much movement on the Fenton mattress makes those weird flatulent sounds." He laughed, releasing his son, "Sure is funny though!"

"Yeah okay, but can everyone kindly please get out of my room?" He called over his parents towards the door, "You too, Jazz." He heard her peep and scamper off.

"Yes, of course," His mother started, "I'm sure you and Vlad have a lot to plan now, don't you? I'll go heat up some leftovers and you two are welcome to join us any time."

"Thank you, Madeleine." Vlad cooed to her with a gentle hand. She didn't take it, but she did smile. She and her husband then left leaving Vlad and Danny finally alone after the day.

Since he was suspended, Danny had spent the day doing chores. He cleaned up the lab and reorganised some of hie parents' belongings. Cleaned the windows and swept the steps. Vlad helped him on and off as he switched between his cellphone and lending a hand. When he wasn't helping him wordlessly, Vlad was getting frustrated with someone on his mobile. Whomever it was must have been doing their job poorly because Danny heard Vlad say words that were less than delicious. But after the day, time began to wind down. It was almost unbelievable that after the weekend he would be in Wisconsin and moving in with his enemy. A week ago he wouldn't have believed it himself.

"Still taking it all in?" Vlad asked him. Danny came from his thoughts and looked up. Vlad was standing by the mattress removing his overcoat and belt. One pull removed his tie and unbuttoning a few of his collar buttons completed his look of relaxation.

"Yeah. Everything is moving kind of fast."

"Well, it's to be expected. Honestly, if you hadn't been suspended I would have taken more time to speak with your parents properly, however, it did give a nice opening to support my offer."

Danny rolled his eyes. "Yeah, by the way, thanks for making me come off as a problem child."

Vlad laughed and sat on the edge of his bed with him, "Are you saying that you are not?"

Danny went to speak but found nothing to retort. "I'm not as bad as you make it sound." He settled with. An arm then placed itself over his shoulders and brought him close.

"Of course you're not as bad as I make it sound, because how I phrase it makes it almost seem normal. But you, dear boy, are not normal. Getting away from all this ghost nonsense will be good for you. Under my roof, you will be protected and not expected to handle every creeper that happens to stumble across you."

"Not gonna lie," Danny sighed, "that would be a nice change." And it would. While his parents believed themselves to be experienced ghost hunters, they did a poor job of keeping the family home, the family RV, and the general populace safe.

"But Daniel," he heard Vlad say, "are you certain this is what you want to do? You know that my desire to have you as my apprentice and to learn darker parts of your powers is inevitable. I don't intend to change that."

Danny withdrew himself and leaned back. He had thought much on that. Was staying with Vlad truly going to have him turn into some evil tyrant? Would it help lead him to the path back to that evil version of himself he had fought before? But he let it slide away. "You know, I've been thinking about that." He said confidently, "and I'm not sure you can convince me to go all villain, but after learning so much, your arguments and obsessions almost feel sensible if not excusable. I mean, yeah, I know my attitude towards you has changed and I get that my friends aren't so quick to accept that, but it really upsets me that they think they know me better than I know myself. They think a normal teenage lifestyle will just melt away all the emotional scars, but it doesn't work like that." He bit his lip.

"I've come face to face with my own future, I've had death stare me in the face and force me to reconcile that when I die, I'll probably come back as some tortured ghost anyway. Only, I won't be able to become alive anymore. I've watched my friends and family get into horrible messes because of me and my altruism. And because of them, I get into horrible situations myself. It's always some promise, or some favour, or some ghost. When do I get time for myself? When do I get to be just regular Danny?" He swapped his gaze for Vlad and saw that the man had been looking down at his own hands in his lap. "I can't have that here," he said after a moment. Hesitantly he reached out to touch Vlad's hand and nearly choked when his skin made contact. "But you're offering me a way out. I get that you have your own motives and all, but hey, so do I. As you said, what does it matter who is using who for what? At your manor, under your care, I'll probably have a better chance at living some kind of normal life than I can here." Vlad's other hand moved to rest on top of his. Danny felt himself flush.

"I do seem to be the lesser of two evils, despite my alignment, I suppose."

"I think we've just been going about this all wrong."

"Oh?" Vlad asked innocently.

Danny nodded, "Yeah. We're the only halflings. We sort of need each other to help ground us into some kind of structure. Because lets face it, we don't belong here _or_ the Ghost Zone."

Vlad shook his head with a heavy sigh. "It took me ten years to figure out that simple little concept, and here you are telling it to me of your own depth. I'm actually very proud of you, Daniel."

Danny smoothed over his embarrassment with a small laugh. "Thanks?"

Vlad didn't say anything, he just smiled and ruffled Danny's hair a bit. Danny winced and shooed his hand off playfully. This was going to take some getting used to, not that he minded.

"Now, lets go have some of those leftovers your mother promised." Vlad smiled.

As the night grew late, Danny decided that his day was complete and was ready for bed. He placed a dirty plate on his nightstand beside Vlad's where he and the man had decided to share their meal together. Jazz had already gone to bed and Danny's parents were also working their way there. They and Vlad were finishing up some late night gossip while Danny took off his jeans, tossed them lazily aside on the floor, and hopped into his bed. The air of his room smelled differently with the musty air mattress beside it and knowing that Vlad would soon be joining him there later made his stomach feel fluttery.

As much as he hated the idea of leaving his mother alone with Vlad, sleep's pull was too great for him to care. Besides, it wouldn't be her bed Vlad would be sleeping next to, so that calmed him a bit. He then pulled his covers up to his neck and sighed contentedly at the cozy feel. The mumbling of Vlad's voice could be heard through the walls and for once Danny felt he wouldn't have to worry about some late night experiment keeping him awake or making sleep impossible. It was nice. And soon, Danny fell asleep, the last he heard being laughter bubbling up from the living room.

#

#

Danny stirred in his bed, not quite awake but not asleep either. Nothing in particular had woken him but as he slowly regained himself he could hear what sounded like typing. He lazily looked over at his clock. It was 4 in the morning. Danny rubbed his eyes and rolled over, finding a pale blue light illuminating his room. Vlad was sitting cross-legged on the air mattress in striped boxer shorts and a plain white shirt. Small glasses sat on his nose, a mug on the window sill, a phone by his side and a laptop in front of him. He appeared to be working?

"Vlad?" Danny asked groggily. Vlad looked up from his screen quickly.

"Oh, Daniel. Did I wake you?"

"No," Danny told him with a yawn,"but what are you doing? It's like 4AM."

Vlad took a sip from the mug before placing it back on the sill. "I'm working." He said plainly.

Danny sat up a bit, "But you worked all day."

"Jobs like mine don't usually end at 5PM. It's a full time workload. Always on call."

"So when do you actually sleep?"

"That's a very good question." Vlad replied with a small yawn. He took another sip from the mug. Danny was now sitting up in his bed. It didn't occur to him just how much work Vlad had to do to maintain his companies and projects. He knew that Vlad wasn't a full time ghost villain or anything, but it had escaped him that Vlad had a legit job on top of that. So between the ghost plots, fights, and business schedules, it almost seemed like Vlad, too, had very little time to be himself. It almost dwarfed his own problems since Vlad didn't have a family or friends to lean on when the pressure became too much. So what did he do? Could it be true that Vlad could only be himself with lifeless game controllers and collectors cards?

He didn't know why, but Danny threw off his covers and stood up, stretching. Vlad watched him curiously from the corner of his eye.

"You should go back to sleep." Vlad told him before he could move.

"Yeah, sure, I'll listen to the old man that hasn't slept at all." Danny laughed.

"When you get to be my age, you miss the carefree days when you _could_ actually sleep as long as you want."

Danny rolled his eyes, "Look, if I want to listen about the good ol' days of youth, I'll just go wake my dad and inquire about the 80s." That shut Vlad up, but with a chuckle. Vlad smiled down into his mug as he took another brief sip and sat it on the sill. He looked tired, like every muscle in his body was fighting to keep him awake. Despite his age, even Danny had to admit that Vlad didn't look older than early 30s and overall seemed to be in good health and shape, so it was strange to witness the minute weakness as his eyes glazed over the laptop screen and restlessly typed away at something.

Danny rounded his bed and moved atop the air mattress making Vlad slightly tilt as the weight shifted. Neither of them said anything as Vlad just accepted that Danny would do whatever he wanted in his room. And he didn't say anything for a while until Danny began to snake his way into Vlad's lap.

"D-Daniel," he tried, but Danny shushed him as he moved closer and forced Vlad to make room for him between his legs. Vlad complied, albeit with little fight, until he was situated nicely in a little heap. Danny wasn't sure why he was there and he was certain Vlad didn't know either. It had just felt like something he should do. Like it was normal.

"So, what's so important that it can't wait until morning?" Danny asked while he looked at the screen. It was filled with chat windows, emails, spreadsheets, charts, and various internet pages.

"I'm organising meetings and making sure the right people are doing their jobs and not dropping them off on interns." As Vlad said this, he reached around Danny and continued to type an email while resting his head on Danny's shoulder. Feeling Vlad's breath against his cheek was nice compared to the slight chill of the room. He couldn't help but to smile and feel his face heat. He tried to distract himself from that.

"Well, why are _they_ up at 4am?"

Vlad chuckled again like the question was silly, "They're not," he told him, "for them it's the middle of the day. These employees work for me overseas." Of course they did and Danny felt stupid for asking when it was, in fact, a rather obvious answer. But before Danny could say more, he heard the phone beside them start to vibe. Vlad excused himself and took up the mobile, answering quietly but still formally. Danny laid back against Vlad's chest and felt the hum of his voice as he discussed some project and its deadline. It was nice. Feeling Vlad's voice rumble through him was relaxing and gentle. It was hard to believe the same voice had taunted and shouted at him so many times. But now that same voice was like a soft purr of rough edges. Like sand falling across stone. Adult. Masculine.

Danny closed his eyes as Vlad continued, resting his head under Vlad's chin, unknowingly nuzzling the man's beard with his hair. Something about this felt right. Like nothing else in the world mattered. It was a type of peace Danny hadn't even felt before. Like safety. A ghost could intrude right now and Danny felt he wouldn't bother transforming with how safe he felt.

His breath hitched when he felt a hand glide across his middle and gently hold him in place. His emotions reacted strangely all at once causing him to softly moan, his penis to twitch slightly, and gooseflesh to run across him like water before drifting away. The sensation was incredible despite its fleeting inception. He breathed again, falling back into the hold and gyrating himself a bit until comfortable, noticing only hazily that Vlad's sentence had broken for a pause before continuing.

_So good._

Maybe it was that he was too tired to care, or maybe he was dreaming, but Danny felt the desire to be touched more. Nothing made sense, and he wasn't sure why. Feeling the hand at his middle made his chest ache and his lips sensitive. His penis stirred slightly again, but nothing came of it. It was just an enjoyable, peaceable experience. Like what he imagined falling asleep on Paulina's breasts would feel like. Cupping them and taking each one into a hand, rolling them around against his face. Yeah. It was just like that. But Danny didn't know that he was already falling back asleep. So at peace he was that even exhaling into Vlad's chest seemed perfect. Holding Vlad seemed perfect. Vlad seemed perfect. And sleep pulled him down. Down.

The next morning Danny woke to a slightly dry and sticky feeling in his boxers. His eyes shot open at the realisation but it wasn't anything that he wasn't used to. Being a teenage boy gave him the unwanted affects of wet dreams on occasion. It just happened; although the first time it ever occurred Danny had thought he'd peed the bed. So it wasn't a big deal and Danny shrugged it off, rolling over to find Vlad below on the mattress snoring on his arm, the mobile phone still in his hand, his glasses askew on his nose, the laptop laying upside down on the floor between the air mattress and Danny's bed, and the covers and pillow everywhere but on the bed. Danny giggled to himself, it was quite the sight seeing the uptight Vlad Masters sleeping like what he may find his friends doing.

"You nerd." Danny whispered with a laugh. And he stayed there, staring, watching Vlad's chest move up and down as he listened to the awful, quiet snores. This was the man he was moving in with.

A ringtone filled the room.

Danny panicked, flipping over in his bed and tumbling in the covers before he regained himself and realised it was his own phone trilling. He flipped it open to see a video call from Tucker. He wasn't sure whether to answer or not. Sighing, he did and Tucker's face filled the small screen.

"'Morning, Danny." Tucker greeted lamely but apologetically.

"Ah, hey, Tucker, yeah. Good Morning." He replied back equally lame but with hush.

"Did I wake you?" Tucker asked.

Danny shook his head, "Uh, no, actually I just woke up like a few minutes ago. You're good."

"Why are you whispering?"

Danny fumbled, "Everyone's still asleep." He went with while his gaze peered over to Vlad's still slumbering form. Like a majestic frog jumping head first into oncoming traffic. It was hard not to laugh.

"But it's noon."

Danny cut into that quickly, looking over at his bedside clock to confirm before he gave Tucker a lopsided grin. "So, uh, what you need?"

Tucker's expression went through a barrage of changes before he managed to settle on something that appeared penitent. He scratched at his head, looked away a few times before he looked like he was ready to say something.

"I wanted to apologise." He began with.

"What?" Danny was surprised.

"I mean, about yesterday. Sam and I talked it over and while it wasn't exactly what we were expecting, we did manage to understand that you didn't mean to let your powers get out of control. It's a tough situation over all and we're just worried about you. I'm sorry, man, but this recent Vlad obsession is just like a huge football tackle to the gut. And we both know what that feels like thanks to Kwon and Dash."

Danny nodded, finding he didn't have much to say to that.

"So, I'm sorry. We're sorry. But you can't blame us, can you? Vlad is your arch enemy!" he emphasized, "and it's a little hurtful—_new—_to us that you'd seek him out compared to your best friends. Naturally we're concerned."

"Yeah, I know." Danny replied softly. "Everything's just been weird lately."

"Tell me about it. So," Tucker paused, biting his lip a little, "without Sam here, is there something you want to talk about, Danny? You're my best friend and you know you can tell me anything, right?"

Danny smiled, "I know." It was genuine and had Tucker smile too. But how to go about telling him anything? His head was a jumbled mess and even he couldn't figure out what was going on with him, only that Vlad made him feel saner, safer, _normal_. He was silent for a while, staring off at nothing before his eyes fell back onto Vlad's sleeping disaster. Stubble lining his jaw, his brows frayed like they had never been smoothed down, and strong thighs outlining a simply picturesque frame that Danny hardly believed belong to a man old enough to be his father. Was Vlad even real?

"He's there, isn't he?" Tucker's voice jabbed him back into reality. Danny shot back to his friend while he tried his best to look calm and not at all taken.

"_He?_" Danny asked poorly with a crack in his voice. Tucker wasn't amused. He knew. Danny knew. Tucker's face said it all. "Yeah, okay, you're right. He's here. Dad made him sleep in my room."

"You don't look upset about that."

Ha. Danny laughed and kicked himself, "Well, it's easier to keep an eye on him here than if he was somewhere else trying to hit up my mom or something."

Tucker sighed. "Okay, real time." He said pointedly and Danny couldn't bring himself to look Tucker in the eye. "I have no idea what's going with you and Vlad. I won't pretend to know because I'm 14 and not a ghost boy with ghost powers trumping my puberty. Whatever it is, you seem like you need it.

"At first I thought it was some gross curiousity, but it's pretty clear that there's more to it than that. Sam and I thought what you needed was friend help, _human_ help, but I'm seeing now that maybe what you need is ghost help. And not just any ghost help, _Vlad_ ghost help. He's obviously giving you something you need so I'm not going to stand in your way while you figure out what exactly that is. I'm your friend," he told Danny resolutely, "and if you think going to Wisconsin with Vlad for a bit is a good idea and that you can handle it, then why should I object? You kick ghost butt on a regular basis enough to prove to us that you can defend yourself easily. Just, you know, don't forget to call us. And it's not like you'll be staying there forever, right?"

"Right." Danny told him, although he wasn't sure if he meant it or not.

"And also," Tucker winked at him, "if you elevate him a bit, he'll stop snoring." Danny felt himself flush instantly.

"Tucker!"

"Bye, Danny." And Tucker ended the call. He laughed to himself and tried not to think about how he must have came off with Vlad's snoring soundtrack in the background. But it didn't matter that much. Tucker knew Danny and understood him better than Sam most times, so it calmed him that Tucker had taken the time to call and tell him that he supported him. Who knew what kind of explosive conversation that must have been between his friends, and Danny was thankful he hadn't been around to see it. Sam had probably exhausted all of her fury but he knew she meant well. And Tucker had looked tired, like he'd been up playing devil's advocate. Sometimes Danny felt he didn't deserve such good friends.

Danny glanced at his clock again before he stood up from his creaking bed and stretched with a heavy yawn. He then rounded his bed and approached Vlad with a grin. Using his foot, he began gently nudging Vlad in his side.

"Time to get up, old man." Danny cooed with more force from his foot. Vlad gave a snore and rolled over lazily, his mobile phone dropping from his hand on to the floor. Okay, maybe just a few more minutes, Danny smiled. And he walked quietly out of his room.

#

#

Danny's parents were still upset that he had gotten suspended so it wasn't a surprise when they told him to go clean the downstairs laboratory as further punishment. Despite his day starting at noon, Danny felt energised enough that he could actually perform his task without falling asleep in a beaker or tripping over garbage hapharzardly. And with ghost powers, cleaning was a lot easier than it had been before his accident in the ghost portal.

Covered in ectoplasmic residue and muck, Danny decided to take a break and grab a soda from upstairs. As he went, he could hear his mom's bubbling laughter. Danny thought little of it until he reached the kitchen and found Vlad in casual attire of a shirt and slacks, standing next to her while holding her hand. He seemed to be complimenting her nails or something but that wasn't what first hit him. Seeing Vlad and his mother enjoying themselves in such a close proximity made his stomach hurt and something inside him boil.

Vlad caught sight of him with a huge smile, "Daniel! Good afternoon!"

"Yeah, hey." He replied uneasily, heading for the refrigerator. His mother and Vlad stepped aside so he could get better access.

"Your mother was just sharing with me some of your childhood adventures. How sweet that you went as a ghost several times for Halloween."

Maddie chimed in, "He wanted to be a superhero but with Jack's niggling he eventually caved in and went as a ghost a few times. It was so cute! Jack chased him around with the dustbuster while Danny kept saying 'boo'! Oh, Vlad you should have been there."

Vlad looked down at Danny's mother longingly, his hand reaching out hesitantly towards her arms, "I would have liked that." He told her smoothly, obviously undressing her with his eyes. Before his hand could make contact, Danny didn't know how he had done it, but he was between them suddenly and catching Vlad's wrist. His mother looked at him as confused as Danny felt. Even Vlad lifted his brows curiously.

"I, uh," he tried to think of something, "I could use some help downstairs. You know, cleaning, while we bond and stuff. Completely normal stuff. Without touching anyone's mom."

"Don't you have to work, Vlad?" His mother asked, seemingly ignoring what Danny had said last.

Vlad nodded, "Such is the life of a businessman. However, it isn't anything I can't do while I assist Daniel." He reached over Danny and took her hand into his, bringing it up for a small kiss. Danny felt himself grow sick, but not in the usual way. It was more like anger.

"Oh, you're too much!" Maddie giggled sweetly.

"Yeah," Danny groaned, "_way_ too much." Vlad scoffed at him and placed a firm hand on his backside, moving him along.

"Come, Daniel, let's go be too much downstairs." Danny hissed when he saw Vlad give a wink towards his mother behind. Why was this bothering him so much?

"Enjoying my mom's hospitality?" Danny asked annoyed after they had reached the lab.

"As always, your mother is very kind."

"Yeah and I'm sure you're enjoying more than her kindness. I saw you looking at her like you couldn't believe how tight her jumpsuit is."

"While I do appreciate that her choice jumpsuits line every curve of her form and particularly plump her nethers into erotic detail, I'm not so crude as to stare a lady down like meat."

Danny sneered. "Says the guy that just called my mother's lady bits 'plump' and 'erotic'. Ew."

Vlad took up a washcloth and began to wipe away some of the muck that caught in Danny's hair. Danny was too angry to protest. "One day you will understand, my boy."

"Understand what?" Danny seethed, "I already understand how badly you want to fuck her."

Vlad stood back aghast, "Daniel! Such language! You're not to use those foul words!"

Where was this anger coming from? "I can say what I want. You're not my dad." Vlad then took him roughly by the arms and pulled him dangerously close. Danny gasped from the contact.

"Your parents will be entrusting me with your safety and well being. I am your guardian. And you're not to use that language with me, child."

"What are you going to do?" he spat, "Tell my mom how I said that you want to _fuck_ her? Stick your _throbbing_ _dick_ inside her _pussy_ until she's _full_ of your _spunk_ like a _damned_ _creampie?!_" Vlad's face went red. He released Danny like he burned him, but before Danny could say anything further, Vlad struck him. The smack resounded in the lab. Danny blinked slowly. It hadn't hurt but it was the first time Vlad had struck him like a paternal figure. Blasts, he could handle, and fighting multiple Plasmiuses was simple, but a smack? On his cheek? Like a parent? Danny looked up, holding his cheek in awe.

Vlad's face was still flushed bright red, and even he looked at his hand like he couldn't believe what he had done.

"You smacked me." Danny said into the silence. "You actually smacked me."

Vlad shifted his weight between his feet. His eyes darted around the room as if looking for something to focus on. Danny stared at him.

"Please, do not use foul language. It's unbecoming of a young man." With quick feet, Vlad then left, heading up the stairs as quickly as he could without using his ghost powers. Danny felt his face burn where Vlad's skin struck him. How weird this was. His anger was suddenly gone, like it hadn't been there at all. He held his cheek and rubbed the stinging flesh, wondering why he had said what he did. Danny knew he'd wanted to make Vlad angry too, but why? His emotions swam through him with mixed results. Why did it matter so much that Vlad's attention not be on his mother? The gross factor had long since left him, but this new feeling was different. Almost like... jealousy? But what did Danny have to be jealous about? He breathed, uncertain what to think of himself. All that plagued his mind was that Vlad was now upset with him. And somehow that hurt more than all the punches Vlad had thrown at him in ghost battles combined.

Why?

#

#

Vlad was sitting outside in the backyard. He looked to be thinking while he watched the stars. Day had flown by so quickly what with him and Danny waking up late. Vlad didn't look bothered though. After fighting with Danny, he had spent the rest of the day on his mobile and laptop engrossing himself in his work, and he and Danny hadn't spoken since the smack. It was stupid and petty, and maybe Vlad knew that too. Could what they be getting into not work? Vlad visibly sighed. What had even happened earlier?

"Vlad."

Vlad turned around, his mouth falling agape when he saw Maddie.

"I thought you and Jack had gone to bed." He said.

"We did," she said shyly, stepping closer to him, "but I couldn't help but notice that you seemed a bit bothered today. Are you all right?"

Vlad looked down and removed the tie that held his hair while he ran his fingers through it and re-tied it at the base of his neck.

"Nothing, my dear. I am only thinking about Daniel. I'm hoping that his coming to stay with me will work out for the best."

Maddie placed her hands at his shoulders and began rubbing small circles into him. The tension began to ebb. "I think it will. I know I was opposed at first, what with Danny being my only son and all, but he seems to really like you. I haven't seen him so excited about leaving the home since he was a toddler exploring the unknown."

"How poetic." Vlad smiled, placing his hand on top of hers at his shoulder. She smiled at him when their eyes met.

"I know my son will be in good hands." Maddie told him as she took his hand into hers. She held it softly, rubbing her fingers into his knuckles. Vlad swallowed.

"Madeleine, I," Maddie then pulled his fingers to her mouth and gently kissed them. Vlad was noticeably flushed.

She looked into his eyes eagerly. "Thank you for helping Danny, and my family. I know it's been rocky since that day in college, but I do thank you, Vladimir." Vlad licked his lips at the sound of his name. "And I should have thanked you long before all this."

"I-it's not necessary, my darling. You know I would do it for anyone that held my heart as dear as you do."

"I insist." She whispered and stepped back only to zip down her jumpsuit enough to expose the tops of her breasts. Vlad flushed and looked away.

"Jack is—your husband is upstairs."

"He's asleep." She replied softly, "And won't be waking soon."

"Maddie,"

"Touch me, Vlad." She begged. Her body moved closer, the zipper falling down with the weight of her chest forcing it open. Her hands fell on to his chest, her lips eager for some kind of contact. Vlad didn't touch her, his arms twitching at his sides. She let her fingers slide down and inch their way into his waistband, soft breaths bouncing off his heated skin.

A smack.

Maddie fell backwards, holding her face. "Ow, what the hell?!"

"Daniel, what are you doing?" Vlad demanded.

"Dammit, that's twice today!" Danny hissed through his mother's lips, "and on the same cheek too!" Vlad was quick to approach him and zip back up Maddie's jumpsuit. Danny argued, trying to keep his mother's breasts the way they were.

"Did you really think you could fool me into believing your mother would do this?"

"I was just playing up the moment." Danny whined.

"What were you thinking?"

"Look," Danny said, still inside his mother, "I got upset earlier and took it out on you. I know how much you want my mom and, I don't know, I thought maybe if she gave you a chance to be with her for one night that you wouldn't be so angry anymore."

Vlad rubbed his forehead, distressed, "Overshadowing your mother to pity fuck me isn't a healthy way to go about anything!"

"How was I supposed to know? I thought you'd cream your pants over this!"

"Daniel," Vlad sighed heavily, "while the sentiment is admirable, you must be aware that this would have been the absolutely worse way to use your power. She's not even conscious of what you're doing to her, for the sake of cheese! Not to mention she would have felt nothing and you would have been subjected to the act. Didn't think this through, did you?"

Danny looked away, putting his mother's hair behind her ears like it was natural. He cupped her breasts in his arms and immediately didn't like how in the way they were. "I just wanted to apologise."

"With your mother's _vagina?_"

"I didn't think you'd speak with me!"

"That's ridiculous." Vlad said. "Of course I would speak with you. You're moving in with me Monday!" He took Danny by Maddie's arms and looked him square in the eyes. "Now go put your mother back to bed and come down here like the boy you are. No more of this nonsense."

Danny gave in with a sound of a grunt and walked his mother back inside and upstairs into her bed. He then left her body back in the safe arms of his father and made his way back down to the backyard. He transformed back into his human self but refused to look Vlad in the eyes. Vlad stood straight with his arms crossed accusingly.

"Now explain to me what's going on." Vlad demanded with his voice thundering like a father. Danny didn't know where to begin. He fought with himself but couldn't think of the words. He floundered about, starting a word but ending it just as quickly. It was after another attempt that Vlad's figure softened and he dropped his arms. He snorted like he understood and put his hand on Danny's shoulder, shaking him gently.

"Is it about the move?" Vlad asked like he was trying to help. Danny fidgeted. "Is it about your mother?" Danny bit his lip and that signaled to Vlad that he had found the problem. "What is it about your mother?"

"I don't know." Danny complained.

"But you do." Vlad insisted.

Silence came between them. Vlad waited while Danny sorted himself. "I just... when I see you with my mom, my insides feel weird."

"Weird how?"

He sighed, "Like, like it should be me you look at... or be around." Vlad Paused. Then he and began to chuckle. Danny looked at him in question, worried that he had said something stupid.

"That is what has riled you up so much?" Vlad asked him through a small laugh. "My dear boy, you are simply wanting my attention? Is that it?"

Danny groaned, "I said I don't know!" His head fell into his hands. Was it really that simple? All this anger and fuss had been just because Danny wanted Vlad's attention for himself? Whatever it was, Vlad found it humourous and began snickering again.

"Stop laughing." Danny ordered.

"No, no, Daniel, it's just this is all so surprising. I hadn't an idea that all this frustration was because you wanted me to pay more attention to you." Danny didn't respond, just making Vlad laugh more. It was a little funny, he thought stupidly. And slowly he began to laugh too. Vlad pulled him close and rubbed his upper arm.

"I'm sorry that I lost my temper and struck you earlier." Vlad began when his laughter died down. "And that you felt you had to make it up to me somehow."

Danny waved it off. "I'm sorry I cursed at you and made my mom unknowingly hit on you."

"Bygones." Vlad told him and it looked like he would say more when his mobile began to trill. Vlad picked it up and read the number, but then silenced the phone and put it back into his pocket.

"They can wait until morning." Vlad said with a smile. "How about you and I go play a video game instead?"

Danny couldn't stop himself from smiling. "Yeah. I'd like that."

#


	5. Chapter 5

**Becoming**

- Chapter Five -

Danny and Vlad had spent most of their Sunday actively competing and spending time. It wasn't a surprise that his family had taken notice and found their budding relationship to be precious. Even when watching television, Jazz had gotten up when both boys sat down on either side of her just so they could be nearer. She shoved Danny over and giggled to herself when he knocked knees with Vlad and instantly flushed.

And then Sunday night, despite that they were both tired, Vlad had insisted that Danny come with him outside to which both transformed into their ghost forms and flew into the sky. Vlad had him follow somewhere in Amity Park that Danny hadn't seen before, where an old gazebo lay in vined ruin against a backdrop of stars and a nearby graveyard. A church bell rang in the distance. And while Danny thought they had just gone there for a quiet evening, he was astounded to find that the real reason Vlad had taken him there was to fight ghosts back into their graves. A curious ending to a long night and a lot of fun. It'd felt good to unleash.

So when Monday morning came and his family were running about trying to make sure that he would have everything he needed for his trip, Danny could feel inside his chest the pull of curiousity of what would come next. He was both excited and terribly nervous. Everything was moving so fast.

"Daniel doesn't need to take his whole room as I will be providing necessities for him." Vlad told Danny's parents as they began speaking about how to get his bed on to the moving truck. "I assure you that he will be well provided for."

"Oh, I'm just nervous is all." Maddie admitted, "This will be the first time Danny will be so far away from us."

"Vladdie's got this," Jack interjected with a box in hand, "if he says he'll take care of it, then by golly I know he's a man of his word!" He threw the box lazily in to the truck. Something broke.

"Dad's right," Danny told her sheepishly, "I'll be fine."

She still didn't look convinced. A sigh. His mom smoothed down his hair and cupped his face lovingly. "Are you _sure_ this is what you want?"

Danny chuckled. "Positive." She looked like she would cry. Danny quickly added, "I'll be sure to call; promise." She didn't say anything to that and just hugged him tightly. He held her back equally tight. He loved her even if she did make him feel uneasy around Vlad.

"Our plane will be leaving soon," Vlad said, "is everything that you want on the truck?" Danny nodded his approval. Vlad approached him kindly, looking at his family and then back at Danny. With his eyes he told Danny that now was the time for goodbyes. Danny swallowed.

His mom, dad, and Jazz stood by the steps in a line, all wanting to say their goodbyes while at the same time not. He wasn't sure if he was ready either. As he went to say something, a familiar voice caught him.

"You didn't think we'd let you leave without seeing us first, did you?" He turned. There stood Tucker and Sam, both looking as tired as he felt but still happy to be there.

"Tucker! Sam!" He smiled and barreled towards them, not caring at all that he shamelessly threw his body at them in a hug. His friends held him back. Danny's eyes felt wet. When he pulled away, Sam and Tucker's looked wet too.

"So this is it, huh?" Sam asked, although she clearly knew the answer. Whatever anger she had had before didn't show through.

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Off to Wisconsin." Tucker added.

"Yeah."

Sam's hand touched his cheek. "You'll remember to call us, right?"

Danny felt his heart leap. "Yeah I will."

"And you'll def let us know if Vlad starts doing anything weird, right?"

Danny laughed, "Of course! Wouldn't have it any other way."

"Then be safe, Danny." Tucker told him with another tight hug. "Sam and I will hold down the fort while you're gone."

"Thanks, guys." Danny told them, and he meant it a lot. Seeing them here was just what he needed to solidify his choice. He needed to go. He needed to be with Vlad. He needed this.

With heavy feet, Danny then held all of his family each at a time, saying goodbyes and last minute 'I love you's. His dad had never seemed so proud of him. His mother looked like she was beginning to accept this, and Jazz kissed his head and held him the longest of all. She would take good care of their parents. He was sure of it.

Then Danny went to the passenger side of the taxi where Vlad held the door open for him. A new chapter in his life was beginning. Danny took a deep breath and gave one last look to Fenton Works before he climbed into the car. Vlad followed and the door shut safely.

"Are you ready, Daniel?" Vlad asked gently.

Danny let go of his breath.

"I am."

#

#

The flight to Wisconsin was quiet, not that Danny minded. It was nice for a change to just be a regular human traveling about in human ways. The long stretches of communities below looked like toys, like they weren't even real, and Danny touched the thick glass of his port.

"It's a bit different when you're not in control of your destination, isn't it?"

Danny smiled and turned from the port, peering at Vlad whom sat in front of him. Vlad was making himself a small cup of tea and appeared to be pouring Danny one as well.

"You can say that again. I can't even remember the last time I traveled so smoothly. The jet streams, and the cold, the bugs—it's nice not freezing my balls off while spitting out cotton spiderlings."

Vlad laughed, apparently understanding entirely, "And the frost catching on the water trapped in your hems."

Danny chuckled with a point, "Oh my gosh, I know, right? Can't tell you how many times I've dropped altitude because my suit was freezing itself stiff! And then you, Mr showoff, with your cape, it has to be worse."

Vlad took up his cup and sipped it gently, "I'll admit the cape can be more trouble than it's worth, but _damn_ do I look menacing in it."

"Like a true villain." Danny replied, taking the cup that was obviously his without second thought.

"Heroes wear capes too." Vlad told him playfully. Danny caught his eye and smiled into his cup remembering the time when he had split himself in two and how his 'heroic' side had thrown a sheet about his neck as a cape. Capes were dumb.

They sat in comfortable silence for the rest of the flight, having small chitchat sprinkled in occasionally to distract them from the time. By the time they arrived, Danny felt time hadn't moved at all with how enjoyable the silence and private atmosphere had been, so it was quite a shock when he stepped off the plane with Vlad into a crowd of onlookers and cameras.

Vlad poised himself and smiled, giving small waves as suited officials blocked a few cameras and onlookers.

"Uh..." Danny started, feeling like he was about to choke on his tongue, "is this, uh, normal?" Vlad took him snugly under his arm and rubbed his shoulder, easing Danny a bit from the flashing lights and noises.

"You forget, child, that I'm the billionaire of Wisconsin, and owner of several major company names. The media follow me like gum stuck to a shoe, but don't let it bother you. They're going to journal later about how Masters was seen leaving a plane with a young boy and that nothing interesting happened."

That helped a little. "What about them?" He then asked, thumbing over to a bunch of women, and one guy, that were making cat calls and romantic gestures and calling Vlad's name. A few were the most gorgeous assortment of women he'd even seen in his life, while the others looked like older women in their mid-forties, an elderly woman, and a lanky flamboyant gentleman.

"Money attracts all kinds, little badger." Vlad told him resolutely. "You learn to ignore them." And he did just that, leading Danny on pass the hooting gold-diggers with his eyes strictly planted forward. Cameras followed in their wake. After a moment, another vehicle pulled up for them from the gate and all shutters and nonsense were left behind with the slide of a door. Silence encased them again with muted, dull sounds rumbling outside.

"Does this happen every day?" Danny asked.

"Only when out in public areas." Vlad responded while he pinched the bridge of his nose. "It would have been easier to handle all this in a ghostly manner but since it is Danny _Fenton_ that is coming to live with Vlad _Masters_, it's better to go the legal route to keep confusion minimal and ensure the safety of this process. The _last_ thing I need is the media thinking I've abducted some child. And believe me when I say that they'd rather a story like that than just 'billionaire Masters gets off a plane'."

Vlad sat back against the leather of the car, his eyes falling to what was outside the window. His jaw set firmly, and his brows set against his lids furrowed. The blue of his eyes reflected off the glass ghostly. Danny watched with him, looking at the crowd as they went by while the car, clearly driven by a private chauffeur, made its way to their destination. It was sad in it's own way. Back in Amity Park, Vlad had appeared as formal as ever, but far more at ease than how he looked now about the crowds and traffic. He realised that this was where Vlad not only lived and thrived, but also where he worked and maintained an image. The amount of pressure that must have had on him made Danny feel suddenly sick to his stomach.

Vlad must have noticed.

"Daniel," his voice filled the car with thick comfort; fatherly, "you know how private I am. You understand how empty my manor truly is, so do not think that staying with me means that you will be subjected to media mediocrity."

"I wasn't thinking that." Danny replied quickly, like he had to stop Vlad's worry before it began.

"I assure you that you will be safe with me." Vlad said anyway. And Danny smiled, not sure why. Those words were just so comfortable and felt like he meant them. Even if it was all a lie and a camera would be shoved in his face every day, that simple sentence had his worried melt away. How strange. But cool. Still strange but hella cool.

It would be a lie if Danny didn't admit to himself that he was a bit afraid. Sure, Vlad gave off an air of predictability and monotony, but once Danny stepped from the car with his schoolbag slung about his shoulder, the moving truck just pulling up in the distance, it dawned on him just how real everything was. And it was crazy. Danny had been to the manor several times by now, a few of his own free will while others were, uh, _not_ so free willed, and yet the Wisconsin manor somehow looked different. Even in the high sunlight of afternoon, the windows—all curtained; the yard—completely fenced in; the parkway—armed with its own set of gates, looked lonelier than before. Was this real? Was Danny seriously moving in here? With Vlad? _Vlad?_

A hand squeezed his shoulder. Danny looked up to the tall and graceful form of the manor's master. Vlad looked down at him like the manor didn't even exist.

"I made arrangements and a room off the right wing has been set up for your stay. It's white for now, but after you've settled in, I can have it changed to whatever you like."

"I like blue." Danny said dumbly.

Vlad smiled and picked up his jaw which had fallen open apparently, "Quite." He laughed, "I can have it changed to any shade of blue to your liking. Now come, boy, your new home awaits."

And with that they began their walk to the front step. Each step felt like a quake in his heart. Behind him was his old life of constant worry and ghost hunting, his friends and family, his school, his life of crazy, and ahead of him was this new chapter. Like a beacon. Would Vlad's promises stay true? Would it be easier here? Would he be safe? Was this the right thing to do?

"Daniel," Danny stopped his thoughts and looked up. Vlad stood in the doorway with the heavy door pushed open, a key in hand, a smile on his lips, "welcome home."

Welcome home.

He smiled pitifully back.

#

#

"Don't leave books about, don't use my paintings for ghost practise, don't phase through the walls just because you can. Always knock before entering a room; in public you shall refer to me as Mr Masters, however, in private, you are allowed to call me whatever suits you."

"Even 'fruitloop'?" Danny asked playfully.

Vlad rolled his eyes, "I was thinking more along the lines of 'Vlad', 'Vladimir', 'Uncle Vlad', or 'father'."

"Okay, seriously, the last one was kind of creepy."

"In time, I do believe you'll find it rather fitting."

"Yeah. I'll be sure to use it when I'm feeling particularly kinky." Vlad gave him a dirty glare. Danny laughed, "Kidding, kidding! Just kidding."

They continued their walk down the right wing hall, "Don't ask Walter to do any ridiculous request as he is loyal bound to do it and I would not like to find him breaking his back to please the young master. If a phone rings, you are not allowed to pick it up unless I say so. Stay out of my private study unless I invite you inside, and that goes also for my laboratory. You're welcome to go and do anything you please so long as you don't break anything, and for the sake of cheddar, do _not_ touch any of my Packers memorabilia."

"Wow, fun police much."

"As this is still my home, I do hope that you'll respect my rules. As such, your room is your own. I don't care if you punch holes in the walls or take a ghost ray to every furniture piece, just be a good boy and keep the destruction minimal if at all possible."

They stopped at a door on the end of the hall. The door was large with a handle made of intricate curves.

"This is your new room, Daniel." Vlad told him while he simultaneously opened the the door. Light hit Danny in a way that he wasn't even aware the hallway had been so dark. The room glowed with a white and golden haze from the sunlight above that poured from sunroofs. White curtains blew like gossamer from the open bay window that breathed fresh air against his face. A flat screen television sat mounted on the black wall. A beautifully large white modern bed was pushed into the left corner with a rounded white end table and a small lamp. Two chests of drawers leaned heavily back on the walls, and a soft looking couch stood a distance away from the television. Danny stood in awe.

"These controls by the door will shut your sunroof and manage the lights. Always lock your window before bed. A walk-in closet is on the left of the entertainment station while your personal bathroom sits on the right with dual shower and bath, a sink, and toilet." Vlad pointed to a phone by the bed. "This is your personal phone line. Press 1 to access a direct line to my office, press 2 for Walter. If no one answers, press 3 for my private study, or press 4 for the kitchen. Do not abuse it, please." Danny was still in shock over it all. "Daniel, are you even paying attention?"

Danny blinked.

Vlad nodded. "I'll go and have your things brought up while you take it all in."

"oh...kay." Was all Danny managed, and then Vlad was gone. The door shut behind him naturally but Danny turned and opened it, loving how the sunlight looked falling across the deep carpets and stoned texture. Like another universe entirely. He breathed, again looking into the bright room and feeling himself tingle at the breeze that washed through the curtains. The windows above him shadowed the floor with the boxed panes. Clouds could be seen passing over head and Danny found that the temptation was too great for him to resist. He transformed.

Up he flew, through the windows and into the bright open sky. Higher and higher until below him all he saw was part of the manor's land. A forest stretched out far behind until it crashed into a distant suburban neighbourhood. All around him was greenery, stone, paved ways, cobble, fountains, and sky. So much sky. How did so much sky even exist? And in the distance was the city, their skyscrapers lining the horizon. It was beautiful, amazing, and most of all, Danny felt like he could breathe.

No Sam or Tucker, or Jazz, or his mother and father. No teachers or students to push him around or tell him what to do. He could do anything. He could—he could—take over the world. Danny laughed and flipped himself backward, falling smoothly and steadily through the air, cutting about the world with opened leisure and freedom. Fast, he raced around the manor grounds, rustling leaves and flowers, slicing a fountain's stream with his hand, blowing the hats off some of the movers while they moved his stuff inside.

Vlad was among them, ordering them where the items would be going but in a kind fashion that seemed sincere. He was even helping to move the boxes from the truck and laughed when one slipped on to the ground. Danny smiled and rolled towards him, circling him invisibly with a gush of air that caressed and lifted the man's hair. Vlad closed his eyes and smiled, not saying anything at all as it appeared he knew it was Danny. He came to stop with his legs ghostly twirled about Vlad's frame where he took his head into his palms and nuzzled his forehead like a flash of lightening before shooting off back into the open air. It went unseen, but it didn't matter. Nothing mattered anymore.

Danny felt free.

Minutes passed by as if time itself meant nothing. By the time Danny had found his way back to his room, the sun was beginning to lean into the horizon. An orange glow settled about the manor and it's vast ground. The movers had left an hour ago, and Danny had spent his time swimming about the air and exploring every new nook he could find. He went into town where he had checked out the local grocer and gazed longingly at the city from the tallest building. Danny had swirled through the old town district where he had fluttered a few skirts and blew a few hats off. He had latched on to one of the local buses and rode along as it stopped and went to various locations. Then he tip-toed across the powerlines as if he even knew how to dance.

Once in his room, Danny exhaustively transformed himself back into his human form. No curfews. No parental nonsense. No friends asking where he had been or if he was okay. No ghosts.

A knock.

Danny turned. Vlad stood at the door without his waist coat and his sleeves rolled up. His tie was missing too.

"How do you like it?" Vlad asked, telling Danny with his eyes that his room was set up. Danny glanced about and found his belongings tucked away, his backpack on his bed, and a few of his posters already on the walls. A desk had been moved in and on it sat Danny's computer.

"Its incredible." Danny replied after a moment.

"And the town?" Vlad asked with a step inside.

Danny turned on him with eyes as bright as the stars, "_Incredible_."

"Yes, you did seem to be enjoying yourself," Vlad chuckled, "even though you knocked over my football fountain piece."

Danny flushed, "I, uh, I didn't—"

"No bother, Daniel. I'll have it repaired tomorrow."

"No, I mean," Danny felt himself fumbling, flushing, and his tongue refusing to make the words form. He fought for a few seconds that felt like an eternity before he finally gave up in a huff and said, "This is incredible. All of it. I imagined I'd be put into some kind of weird prison with barbed wire and locks, but this, Vlad, _this_..." he motioned to the bright room falling golden, the sky painted above, "is it really all mine?"

Vlad didn't say anything, he only gave a small, warm smile and blinked slowly to switch his gaze for the clouds.

"You really thought I would put you in a cage?"

Danny looked at him. "You can't say you weren't tempted."

Vlad chuckled at that, "I was, perhaps, a bit tempted. The ghost child of Amity Park in my home? Of his own free will? Yes, I will say, bottling you and tucking you away in a safe deposit box was tempting indeed."

"So what stopped you, Grand Master Plasmius?" Danny wasn't sure if he was asking seriously or not. Vlad appeared to take it seriously, though, and gave a sigh as he looked about the room like it had taken years to make it as white as it looked. It have taken just that.

"I, frankly, don't like going to the post office." he said lamely after a moment and forced a laugh. He coughed and cleared his throat, switching his weight on his feet before poising himself in a well-groomed manner. He then turned and made way for the bedroom door. Vlad stopped at the entryway.

"When you grow hungry, there will be supper waiting for you in the dining room. You can show up at any time and it will be made for you. There's no rush. I'll understand if you'd rather sleep first. Today has been quite an adventure."

"Y-yeah." Danny said. As Vlad went to leave, Danny found his hand reaching out and his throat opening before he knew what he was doing. He must have called out because Vlad stopped again and looked back at him curiously.

"Th-Thank you." Was all he could manage to say.

Vlad smiled and bowed his head, saying nothing, only lifting a switch that began to close the sunroof.

#

#

Nothing felt quite as wonderful as the fresh air that breathed over his face while Danny sat at the open bay window. He was sitting in his boxers and a plain shirt, not quite ready to sleep, but also not too awake to do much else. He had reorganised his things, showered, and unpacked a little, still taking it in that he wasn't going back to Amity Park. He distantly wondered if Jazz was holding up alright, and if his mother was crying. He missed Sam a lot too, wondering if she was still angry with him or if Tucker had honestly talked her down. It felt weird missing them, but at the same time, he knew it had to be done. He wasn't sure why, but this felt right. For whatever reason.

The stars began to poke out in the sky. They glimmered dimly with the nearby city's lights haloing on the skyline. So different from Amity Park. He could barely see the stars in the suburbs and the constant creaking and movements below would cancel out the quiet lull of night. Peaceful.

"Man, what am I even doing here?" He asked no one, shifting around so that his back lay against the sill. He looked at his hands as if they would have the answers. They didn't. "I left my home, my parents, my sister, my friends, practically everything I've ever known and for what? Some fancy room with a window on the ceiling? Some old lonely man that talked his way into having me believe I'd be better off with him? Open spaces? Long halls? Silence?" Danny groaned and held his head. "Nothing about this seems normal. Any other kid would have this shit together and know what they're getting into. And then there's me. Ha. One weekend and I've moved in with the only guy that's ever wanted me as badly as I want Paulina to be a Fenton." He sighed.

"What's wrong with me?" He asked the floor. "Why did I come here?"

Danny gave another frustrating groan and decided he would head for the dining hall or the kitchen. Probably the kitchen since he was too lazy to wait for anyone to make him something. Maybe Vlad kept junk food. Or maybe cereal. Did Vlad eat cereal? What does a billionaire eat? He left his door open and began down the hall. Immediately the darkness enveloped him. Danny shrugged it off and followed the hall to the winding stairs of the foyer. Slowly he walked down, then paused as he wasn't sure where anything was. _Heh. I'll wing it._

He choose a path and went wherever it took him. He saw so many doors that he was sure a door factory somewhere had Vlad's name on top of their list. And they all looked to same. How did anyone find anything around here? He tried opening a few, but stopped when he remembered he was supposed to knock, so then he tried opening a few after he knocked. The rooms were empty. Most held books, others held storage and nonsense. One was a theatre, another some kind of bath house.

"Money does not buy happiness." Danny said aloud. "Just space with no one to share it with." And he shut the door.

After a few minutes, Danny grew bored. This was getting ridiculous. Although he knew one of Vlad's rules was not to phase through the walls, the kid inside him told him he'd just be doing it this once so he gave himself a pass and began phasing through to find his location quicker.

One room after another only had him more confused.

"Okay, seriously? I'm done. How many rooms does one man _need?_" Danny huffed. At this point he wasn't even hungry anymore and just wanted to head to bed. So that's what he did, phasing up through the ceiling and on to the second floor. A hallway greeted him, dark and barren. He wasn't sure if he was going the right way, but figured if he reached the end and his room wasn't there, he'd just turn around and go the other way. It all looked the same regardless. And if he met up with Vlad, then he'd ask for directions to the kitchen.

As he walked, he saw light beneath a few of the doors, but nothing substantial. A noise lingered in the distance but Danny shrugged it off as owls outside until he heard it grow a little louder.

Okay, that had sounded like a groan.

Now he was curious despite that he knew he was clearly going down the wrong hall. Wouldn't Vlad be working? It was Monday after all. As he drew nearer the room, the groaning had stopped and was replaced with dull shifting. He was close to whatever it was. He knew it was Vlad, felt it in himself, but his teenage curiousity pulled him along. While if it had been anyone else, Danny knew he'd ignore it and go about his business, so it was weird that he felt compelled to follow the sounds. Was he being nosy? Or was he just lonely? Or hungry? Or both?

Danny found himself at a door with light brightly spreading beneath it. It was silent now. He wasn't going to knock, he wasn't going to look. He absolutely wasn't going to interrupt Vlad's work. Would he be angry? Would he welcome him inside? Would he mind if he just knocked a little and came in?

He stood at the door, blinking at himself, wondering why he was standing there at all and why he felt the need to go in. He could smell something, like a musk, and curiouser he grew. But why?

One peek, he told himself and phased his head through the door.

Danny immediately pulled back out.

"_Holy_," he whispered, feeling his face flush. Was that really...? He phased in again, only to come back out just as fast. He covered his eyes. "How does he have naked pics of _my mom?!_" Only a day in and already Vlad was back to old habits, taking time to pop off to nude pictures of his mother. It was disgusting and why was he doing it now? Didn't he understand that it was early and Danny would be or could be running about lost? Danny had given him a chance to have his way with his mother and he turned it down! Vlad hadn't a reason to be masturbating to her! Especially not now! Emotions bubbled up from odd places. He wanted to go back to bed and to vomit at the same time. He was angry and also sad. Mostly sad? No, it was anger. Okay, yeah, sad. All the good feelings he'd had from the day were gone in an instant. But it wasn't that Vlad was having private time during hours when Danny may still be ghosting around, but more to the fact that it was his mother. And maybe it wasn't that it was mother, if he was honest, but just that... it was someone else. And that made little sense to him.

His chest tightened and Danny frowned. Hadn't they had fun over the weekend? Wasn't Danny being a good 'little badger' and finally giving in to what Vlad had always wanted? Didn't Vlad want him as an apprentice more than he wanted his mom? It wasn't his mother that he had invited to stay here! And _why_ was this _upsetting_ him so much?!

I'm going to knock, he thought eagerly. He would knock and make Vlad stop. Make him get up and put the pictures away. It didn't even matter to him how Vlad had acquired them, he just wanted him to stop.

The knock was louder than Danny had intended.

Shuffling was heard inside, but not much. Danny knocked again, hearing steps before light hit his eyes and made him squint to see Vlad's standing figure flushed at the doorway.

"Daniel?" He asked as if he was surprised. "I, I thought you had gone to bed." The musky smell he had whiffed down the hall suddenly hit him full force. It was fabulous in a very odd way. Danny tried to form words, finding the smell distracted him a bit.

"I'm lost." Danny told him. It was true. "I was trying to find the dining hall or the kitchen but I got lost and thought I'd come see you instead."

Vlad stared down at him. "You could have called."

"Yeah, well, I didn't think trying to find the kitchen would be like a _Where's Waldo_ of manor fun times. And everything looks the same!" When had he come inside the room? The laptop on the desk was closed lid down, and anything that may have looked like Vlad was doing private time was removed. Danny felt himself feel happy about that.

"If it is that much of a problem, I can have Walter take you around the manor tomorrow and give you a floorplan to find your way, but seriously, Daniel, wandering about? I told you earlier not to do just this."

Danny smiled cockily, "I don't know if my teachers told you, but on a scale of 1 to 10 for my attention span, it's roughly a negative two." He took up Vlad's desk chair, feeling the warmth of where he had just been sitting, loving the feel and spinning around teasingly.

"Please don't do that, child, I'm working and very busy."

"I know." Danny chirped happily. It was obvious that Vlad was sexually frustrated from being interrupted. Good.

Vlad sighed, holding his forehead. "I can escort you to the kitchen or to your bedroom. Pick one."

"I don't want to be alone." Danny replied quickly, almost cutting Vlad off. Vlad stopped, looking up as if the word 'lonely' triggered something deep inside him. It wasn't a complete lie, but Danny didn't want to leave knowing Vlad would just continue where he left off.

Vlad sighed again, coming to some kind of silent resolution. "Ah, it's to be expected, I suppose." He breathed. "I've lived here for years on my own so the quiet doesn't bother me much these days. But you, boy, I can understand that the quiet may seem... unsettling."

"So, can I stay in here with you? Just until I'm sleepy enough?"

Vlad thought on that, looking between Danny and the floor for a moment. He then nodded. "Yes. You may stay. I'll put you to bed when you're ready."

Danny grinned stupidly from the chair. A small victory. His chest untwisted itself and relaxed. He could breathe again. Then he moved from the desk chair over to an armchair by yet another shelf of books. Vlad reclaimed his chair and was quick to open the laptop and close out whatever he was doing, rummaging through a drawer for his glasses. Danny only watched. After the glasses went about his nose, Danny couldn't help but to smile like an idiot as Vlad began to work. Typing away and calling on his mobile. It brought him a kind of sick glee that he knew Vlad wouldn't finish off to a picture of his mother. And while he knew that was some creepy self-satisfied factor all its own, he couldn't bring himself to care.

The last thing Danny heard was Vlad on his mobile before finally, peacefully, he fell asleep in the chair.

#


End file.
